


Yu-Gi-Oh! zeXXal

by 0bviousLeigh



Series: Yuma is a Girl [56]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Body Horror, Canonical Character Death, Card Games, F/M, Family Feels, Gender or Sex Swap, IV is too, Kissing, Labyrinth References, Mr. Heartland is implied to be a predator, Past Violence, Repo The Genetic Opera References, Series Rewrite, Swearing, Tron is creepy, tomfoolery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 20:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 56
Words: 164,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17515178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0bviousLeigh/pseuds/0bviousLeigh
Summary: The complete works of my "Yuma is a Girl" series, all in one place.





	1. Greetings

Hello everyone! I'm sorry if anyone saw this and had a heart attack, thinking I was updating the series. Actually, I have been wanting to post all 55 parts of the Yuma is a Girl series as one multi-chapter story. I love this series so much I frequently go back and read it over and I think this would make that more convenient. I did wonder, when I first began posting, if I should make the series one story, but at first I wasn't sure how far I was going to take it. I never imagined I'd end up rewriting the whole series!

I will leave all the individual parts up, since that's where some of my most beloved comments are, and this will essentially be a copy and paste of all those parts, author's notes included. For those who might just be checking this out, I started this whole thing for Zexal month on tumblr--an AU in which, first and foremost, Yuma is a girl. Always a girl, born with a V, the whole nine yards. Why? Because the idea wouldn't leave me alone. So [I drew it](http://rainbow-galaxy-supernova.tumblr.com/post/164290621451/zexal-month-day-13-yuma-day-something-ive-been), and I started writing it, and I ran with it.


	2. Tacenda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma wears her uniform even though she doesn't go to school anymore. (warning for swearing)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place prior to the series' start.

Yuma still wears her uniform when she leaves in the morning, even though she’s not going to school. She also wears a red scarf tied around her left wrist (were she still going to school, she’d probably be expelled for it). She takes off on her skateboard and meets the other girls at the mall, where they loiter with cigarette smoke making clouds over their heads.

“Morning,” Red says with a nod in Yuma’s direction. She drops her cigarette and crushes it under her heel. “Ready to go?”

Yuma nods and unzips her backpack. “I’ve got food,” she says, taking out a container full of rice balls.

The girls eagerly grab for the food, muttering thanks to Yuma as they do so. Yuma doesn’t tell them that her grandma makes the food, there’s no point to it. They don’t care where the food came from, and if grandma knows that Yuma feeds the girl gang, she’s never said anything about it, even though she makes extra food. Maybe grandma feels sorry for these girls just like Yuma does. Maybe she, like Yuma, sees their hollow cheeks and ill-fitting clothes and recognizes that these girls know loss. But Yuma would never tell grandma any of that, just like how she doesn’t comment on Pepper’s split lip or the fact that Kitty has been wearing the same thing for three days in a row.

After leaving the mall, Red leads the group to a second-hand store, where they bust in with loud conversation and Red complains about the clothes being overpriced. The young girl behind the counter looks flustered as they browse the racks. When they’re done shopping Red marches to the register with a pile of clothes in her arms and slides the girl a rare card, asking for a discount. The girl does give them the discount, and the group dashes out of the store before she can realize the card is a fake.

At their hideout/club house/the filthy old shed that Red dueled a rival gang for last week and won, Red tosses the clothes to Kitty and tells her to change because she smells like a dead fish. Kitty calls Red a bitch, but there’s no venom in her words. Kitty changes right there in front of everyone as the older girls light up more cigarettes, and Yuma desperately wants to ask Kitty if the yellowing bruise on her shoulder still hurts, but she refrains.

“Nine!” Red snaps, making Yuma jump.

“What?” She asks.

“I said, I want you and Sunny on patrol today.” Red glowers at her. “And get your head out of the clouds and your eyes off Kitty’s boobs.”

Yuma sticks her tongue out at Red as Kitty hoots and shimmies her shoulders in Yuma’s direction. Yuma grabs her deck (not her deck, her deck is at home in her room, this deck is full of stolen cards that the girls gave her) and she and Sunny exit the shed.

“Which way?” Yuma asks as Sunny takes a drag on her cigarette.

“Tower,” Sunny answers as she exhales smoke. Yuma fans the stuff away from her face and they set off. They walk in silence for so long that Yuma can almost trick herself into thinking she’s walking alone, meandering the way she did in the days immediately following her mom and dad’s disappearance, before she ran into Red and the gang.

“Good on you, by the way,” Sunny says, out of the blue.

“Huh?” Yuma asks.

“Not smoking,” Sunny clarifies. “It’s horrible for one’s health.”

Yuma forgets about the unspoken rule that she’s not supposed to ask questions. “Why do you do it then?”

Sunny shrugs. “Because I don’t care about my health. Because nicotine releases chemicals that make you feel happy. Because it cuts my appetite and I forget I’m hungry.” She gives Yuma a hard look. “Maybe I just thought Red looked cool, so I did it too.”

Yuma nods, unsure if Sunny is scolding her or not. It’s hard to tell with her—the nickname Sunny is an ironic one, the girl almost never smiles and she keeps an even, almost bored tone when she talks. No one goes by their given names in the gang, though some nicknames reference their given names. Yuma’s nickname, Nine, came from the characters for her last name. Red picked the name, as she’s done for all the girls.

Sunny elbows Yuma. “Nine, look,” she says, pointing across the street.

Yuma looks and her heart sinks. There’s a few members of a rival gang, a boy gang, across the street. Normally she wouldn’t care, but she knows one of them.

“Should we duel them?” Sunny asks.

Yuma tries to play it cool. “There’s like, five of them. Red would kill us.”

“She doesn’t have to know,” Sunny says, not like she’s challenging Yuma’s words, merely stating a fact.

But Yuma frowns. “We can find someone weaker, I don’t feel like taking on a huge fight.”

Sunny shrugs. “’Kay, but we gotta heckle them at least a bit.”

Yuma nods, but before she can even get a word out, one of the boys yells across the street at them.

“Look at what Red sent out,” he hollers. “How did her boots taste this morning?”

Sunny inhales deeply and yells back, “Better than Rikuo’s dick tastes, I bet!”

The boy’s face turns positively purple as Sunny and Yuma shriek with laughter. The boys mutter and turns around to leave, and Yuma locks eyes with a ghost from her past—Shark, formerly Ryoga, formerly a friend of Yuma’s. At least, that’s how she thought of her best friend’s twin, though he always complained about hanging out with a couple of girls. It’s surreal to be standing across the street from him, pretending to be strangers even though he attended her parent’s memorial, and she saw him right after Rio’s accident. The distance between them might as well be an ocean instead of a street, even though she knows that he hates green peppers and he knows that she can’t stand tomatoes. Has it really been a year since he and Rio were last at her house? It had been for her eleventh birthday.

Yuma half expects Ryoga to look disappointed in her, or maybe she has a fleeting hope that he’ll wave, or smile, or give some indication that he remembers all those things the same way she does. But his expression remains cold, and he turns away and follows the retreating members of his gang, acting like he didn’t even see Yuma.

Yuma’s blood boils and she gives the finger to Shark’s back. She grits her teeth and turns on her heel. “C’mon,” she growls to Sunny, stalking off in the opposite direction, “Let’s go find some weaklings and make ‘em cry.”

By the end of the day she and Sunny have beaten eight duelists and taken their strongest cards. Red lets her pick a card to keep as a reward, but even as Yuma pockets a card (one she didn’t even look at), the victory feels hollow.


	3. Gemini

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Yuma meets Tetsuo, they don't initially get along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're skipping how Yuma got out of the gang, roll with it I promise I'll write that someday

Akari drives Yuma and Kotori to Heartland Academy for their orientation day.

“Wow,” Yuma says as she climbs out of the car. “It’s pretty.”

Kotori nods and links her arm through Yuma’s. “I can’t wait to see the pool! It’ll be so cool to be able to go swimming for gym.”

Yuma wrinkles her nose. “Yeah, if you like smelling like chlorine.”

“Oh, come on,” Kotori says, “Everyone else will smell the same, and it’s better than B.O.”

At that, Yuma laughs. “I suppose that’s true.”

There are signs pointing incoming students to the auditorium. Kotori and Yuma find it with no trouble, and they sit in the very front, where no one else has dared to go. They chat for a while, and even have a few laughs. Yuma feels like the distance between them is getting smaller every day. They used to be friends, in the way that one becomes friends with the kids of their parent’s friends. Yuma’s rebellion distanced her from Kotori, but having to repeat her last year of elementary school and being in the same class rekindled their connection, and Yuma has done her best to be a reliable friend. She’s always going to be grateful that Kotori approached her on her first day back at school.

After a while, the Principal stands at the front of the cafeteria and welcomes everyone. She gives a speech that no one really pay attention to, and then it’s time for the tour. Student guides call out homeroom numbers, and the students with matching numbers get up and follow their guides to their homeroom. Yuma and Kotori already know that they’re in the same class, and they follow their guide at the back of the group.

“Yo,” Yuma whispers to Kotori, “Check out that guy.”

They both look at a boy who towers over the other students and appears to be scowling. Yuma looks impressed. “Never seen him before. Dang, you’d think I would recognized him.”

Kotori look at her wide-eyed. “Where from? Not a gang?”

Yuma scoffs. “I mean he’s gotta be what, sixteen?”

“Don’t make assumptions,” Kotori scolds.

Yuma holds up her hands. “Okay, okay! You’re right.”

But Yuma keeps glancing at the boy through the day.

At the end of orientation, Kotori leaves Yuma alone for a minute so she can take a picture of the garden, and she comes back to find Yuma and the boy in each other’s faces.

“I don’t take orders from a delinquent!” The boy shouts.

“You wanna go, bro?!” Yuma shouts back, rolling up her blazer sleeves.

Kotori’s heart sinks and she runs over, getting between the two and shoving them apart. “BOTH OF YOU KNOCK IT OFF!” She yells.

The two step back, looking stunned. Kotori whirls on Yuma. “You know better than to go around shouting in public!” She scolds. Yuma looks appropriately ashamed, and Kotori turns to the boy. “And you! Where do you get off calling someone you don’t know a delinquent?!”

The boy looks down. “Well, she said she was in a gang…” he mumbles.

“Yeah, and you have a resting bitch face,” Yuma snaps.

The two look ready to go at it again, but Kotori glares them into submission. “Good lord, you’re exactly like each other, aren’t you?” She groans.

At that, Yuma snorts, and it turns into a full blown laugh. “My god, she’s right,” Yuma gasps, doubling over as she laughs. “It’s no wonder!”

The boy starts to laugh too, and to Kotori’s amazement, the two grin at each other and shake hands.

“I’m Tetsuo,” the boy says.

“I’m Yuma, it’s nice to meet you.”

“So, we’re in the same homeroom…where do you live?” Tetsuo asks. “Maybe we’ll see each other on the way to school.”

Yuma points in the direction of her house. “’Bout ten minutes that way, and if you do see me, I’ll be riding a grey skateboard with my name spray painted on it.”

“Cool,” Tetsuo says approvingly.

Kotori throws up her hands. “How?!” She demands.

Yuma shrugs. “Hey, you were right. Just roll with it.”


	4. Berserk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shark may not have broken the key with his own hands, but he started the chain of events that lead to it breaking, and Yuma's actually going to kill him for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rewrite of episodes 1-2. I'm not a duelist, and honestly does anyone even watch the duels? So unless I say otherwise, the duels happen in this AU the exact same way they happen in the show. The dialogue may be different but the cards are the same.

Yuma stares down Ryoga—no, he’s Shark now—as he taunts Tetsuo about the loss of his deck.

“That’s low even for you,” Yuma growls.

Shark looks at her coldly. “You would know, wouldn’t you?”

Yuma feels a hundred curses jump to the tip of her tongue, but she bites them back. “Duel me, and if I win you have to give back Tetsuo’s deck.”

Shark scoffs. “What do I get if I win? Not your crappy deck.”

Yuma tries to think of something she can bargain with. Shark reaches out and snags the key right off her neck, snapping the cord.

“Maybe this?” Shark suggests.

Yuma launches herself at him before either of his lackeys can respond, and she knocks him flat. The key goes flying from his hand, and Yuma vaults over Shark’s prone body to get it, but a passerby steps on it, breaking it in two. One piece goes flying, and Yuma picks up the larger piece, cradling it in her hand. Tears threaten to overwhelm her, but her anger is stronger than her grief.

“You sonuvabitch,” she snarls, whirling towards Shark. He’s picked himself up, his expression blank. Yuma sneers at him. “No wonder they call you Shark, you’re a cold-blooded, fish-eyed, garbage-eating, brainless monster and everyone hates you,” She gets to her feet, gripping the key so tightly that the corners will leave dents in her palm. “What do you get if you beat me? You get me. I’ll do your homework, I’ll bring you food, I’ll lick your goddamn boots in front of the entire school,” she spits, stomping her way over to Shark. “Name your prize,” she growls, getting up in Shark’s face. “You won’t be winning.”

Shark bares his teeth. “Saturday. Mall. 10 AM.”

“Maybe by then you’ll learn how to form complete sentences again,” Yuma tells him.

Shark walks off, his lackeys behind him, and Kotori comes flying at Yuma, her eyes bright and watery.

“Yuma!” She squeaks, her voice shaking, “What the heck?!”

Yuma deflates. She opens her palm and looks at her broken pendant. Tears sting her eyes once more. Her parents would have been ashamed of her for the things she said, for getting in Shark’s face like that, someone she used to be friends with…not that Shark seemed to remember.

“He yanked it right off my neck,” Yuma mumbles.

“Even so!” Kotori whispers, “You, like…you knocked him flat!” She hesitates. “I mean it was kind of awesome but, all that stuff you said!”

“I should have said worse,” Yuma says.

“You should take it back!” Tetsuo cries, making Yuma and Kotori jump. He looks furious. “All that stuff about licking his boots? Yuma, what if he really wins? What if he hurts you?”

“Who cares?” Yuma snaps. “I’m not helpless! I’ve stood up to him before and I can do it again!”

‘Not with this deck,’ a voice whispers to Yuma. Yuma tells that voice to shut up.

“I’m not letting you do this for me,” Tetsuo says, and Yuma snaps once more.

“It ain’t just about you anymore!” She hollers, her throat tight with tears. “He put his hands on my key! This thing is, it’s important to me and because of him…!”

She cuts herself off. She’s the one who pushed Shark and made him drop the key. She’s the one who challenged him. In the end, maybe it’s more her fault than Shark’s.

“Aw, forget it,” Yuma says. She grabs her backpack and starts walking home. She holds the key to her chest and keeps her head down as she cries.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuma debates skipping school on Friday. She feels miserable and she looks bad enough to convince Akari that she’s sick. She flip-flops between being appalled at what she said to Shark and berating herself for not telling him off worse by dragging Rio’s name into it and really making him ashamed of himself. But that would be too cruel, after all Rio would have been ashamed of Yuma’s behavior as well.

In the end, Yuma drags herself to school. She hangs the broken key around her neck, a reminder of her shame. Her big mouth has always gotten her into trouble. She’s quiet all day, brushing off people who ask her what’s wrong and who dare her to do things.

 _‘Kattobingu,’_  she thinks to herself, staring down at the broken key. What would dad want her to do? Probably apologize. Would he want her to go ahead and duel Shark? Well, she did say that she would, and she should never back down. But it was a challenge made in anger.

 _‘Anger is the path to the dark side,’_  she thinks, and she giggles.

“Tsukumo Yuma!” Her math teacher yells, “What is so funny about the quadratic formula?”

“Your two looks like a Z,” Yuma answers, and a few students giggle. She really should stop heckling her teachers while she’s at it.

Kotori keeps trying to cheer Yuma up, but even her lame jokes can’t make Yuma smile. On the walk home Kotori tries to tell Yuma about a funny cartoon, but Yuma only half listens.

“Oye!” Tetsuo calls. The two of them turn as he skates over to them. “Yuma…are you going to the mall tomorrow?”

Yuma shrugs. “Might as well.”

“You shouldn’t,” Tetsuo says. “I meant what I said yesterday, with that bet Shark could really do something to hurt you. It’s my fault you got into this mess, I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

Yuma scowls. “Hey, don’t think too highly of yourself, I wasn’t even thinking about you when I challenged him, I was…” she cuts off and grabs the key. “I used to know Shark and he’s just…he’s not the person I know him to be. Part of me wants to apologize to him, the other part of me wants to beat him and try to knock some humility into him. I can’t do either of those things if I wuss out.”

“Nobody has to know,” Tetsuo argues. “We can fake something to get you out of it. Shark was a pro and you’ve barely been using that deck for half a year, you’re not on his level.”

“Bullcrap!” Yuma cries, “You say that like it’s a bad thing! I’m grateful to not be on his level, it means I’m doing something with my life that’s better than winning cards in back alleys. The operative word in your sentence is ‘was,’ he was a pro, and there’s a reason he’s not one anymore. I’m gonna duel him tomorrow, and whether I win or lose I’ll be proud of myself for playing an honest game for something I believe in.”

Kotori looks touched, and Tetsuo’s expression softens. He rubs the back of his neck and sighs, “I thought you’d say that.” He reaches into his pocket and holds out a tiny piece of metal.

Yuma gasps and holds out her palm. “Where did you find it?” She asks as Tetsuo drops the piece of the key in her palm. He doesn’t answer her.

At home, Yuma glues the key back together. It’s a crappy fix, but it’s okay. 

 

* * *

 

 

Yuma has a weird dream that night about a crumbling path, a huge door, and a voice that asks her if she’ll trade what’s precious to her for a great power. When she wakes up, landing hard on the floor in a cold sweat, she blames the dream on a combination of anxiety and too much to eat.

Yuma is early to the mall. Kotori shows up five minutes after she does, Tetsuo behind her. Kotori looks like she hasn’t slept a wink, and Yuma instantly feels like crap for putting her through this.

“You guys didn’t have to come,” Yuma tells them.

Kotori puts her hands on her hips. “Yeah, we did. We’re not letting you go through this alone.”

“Maybe he won’t show,” Tetsuo says hopefully.

But he does show, him and his two lackeys.

“You ready?” Shark calls to her.

Yuma stands across from him. “Why can’t you just be a nice person and give Tetsuo his deck back? What are you even going to do with it?”

“You know perfectly well what I’m going to do with it,” Shark says dryly. “Same thing I do with all crappy decks.” He activates the AR field.

“If it’s so crappy then why bother?” Yuma snaps. She takes a deep breath. “You and I both know it’s not going to be worth a lot. It’s not even like you need the money!”

“What is she talking about?” Tetsuo asks. Kotori hushes him.

Shark glares at her. “Just get on with it, I’m giving you the first move.”

Yuma growls as she draws her cards. “Why are you being like this?” She yells. She sets Zubaba Knight on her field. “If I can snap out of my misery then so can you! I end my turn.”

Of course, she forgot to summon her Knight in defense mode, so Shark wipes it out and deals her damage. It’s a stupid mistake, one Yuma is too experienced to make, but she’s distracted. Something is weird about Shark, he’s always been more of a leader than a follower, but he’s been in the same duel gang for two years and he’s still just a foot soldier. If he’s going to be a delinquent, he could at least try harder, so why isn’t he?

Yuma fumbles her next turn too, and she wonders if she should loose on purpose, just to find out what Shark would do if she did. What’s the worst he can do? She knows she said she’d lick his boots in front of the whole school, and yeah her pride would take a blow but she can handle it. Maybe he wouldn’t do anything to her at all. Maybe if she lost, it would bring something out in him to remind him of their friendship.

Shark draws a card. Yuma can’t stand the look on his face, so empty and bored. He used to like dueling, he used to love his cards and like coming up with new strategies. Now he acts like this is something he can’t wait to be done with.

Yuma stomps her foot. “What’s the matter with you?!” She yells, and Shark actually looks surprised. “Don’t you know that you’re better than this?”

“What’s she talking about?” One of Shark’s gangmates asks him.

Shark looks momentarily intrigued, and Yuma seizes on it. “You don’t have to live like this, I can help you get out if that’s what you want! And…and look at us!” She can feel the desperation creeping into her voice. “You know Rio wouldn’t have wanted this for us!”

Shark’s face changes—now he looks furious. “Don’t you talk to me about what she would want!” He screams. Something flashes in his eyes, and before Yuma can try to talk him down, she feels like she’s blacking out.

Suddenly, Yuma is back in her dream from last night, staring at a huge door. ‘Great power,’ a deep voice whispers.

Power…power to what? To change things? Yuma looks in her hand, where she’s holding her key. It’s inexplicably fixed, not even a scratch where it broke. Yuma looks back up and sees a giant padlock, with a hole shaped like her key.

Yuma’s heart soars. “KATTOBINGU!” She screams as she shoves the key into the lock. There’s a flash of white light, and the scene vanishes, leaving Yuma back at the mall. She’s lying flat on her back and staring at the sky, with a pain in her shoulders that tells her she’s fallen quite hard.

“What the heck?” Yuma cries, sitting up, but nobody hears her as Shark yells that he’s building the overlay network. Once more Yuma is knocked flat, and this time when she sits up she’s staring at a monster.

The monster that Shark summons is unlike anything Yuma has ever seen, or heard of. Numbers 17…Yuma gapes at it, feeling like she’s drowning, and then she hears a voice say calmly, “You can win.”

Yuma looks in the direction of the voice and sees a being floating above the sidewalk. Its silvery-blue body is unclothed and covered in darker markings and raised gems.

“You can win,” it says again.

Yuma shrieks,  _“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!”_

Kotori calls to her, “Yuma, what’s wrong?!”

“Why are you yelling at nothing?” Tetsuo asks.

“N-nothing?!” Yuma says, looking over at them. She stands up and gestures wildly towards the being next to her. “Can’t you guys see it?! There’s something here, like a duel monster looking thing but it talked to me and I didn’t summon it and neither did Shark and it’s really weird looking you guys, it’s like naked or something can’t you see it??”

Tetsuo shakes his head. “She’s lost her mind from fear.”

“I’M NOT SCARED!!!” Yuma cries. She glances at the being next to her, and she touches her duel gazer. “Did this piece of crap malfunction?” She lowers it slightly and peers over the glass, but the being is still there. She lets out a high-pitched squeal. “IT’S A GHOST!”

“A ghost?!” Kotori and Tetsuo ask.

“That’s not my name,” the being says, deadpan. “My name is Astral. Though for the moment, that seems to be all I can remember.”

“A NAKED AMNESIAC GHOST!” Yuma screams, covering her face and jumping up and down. “Why does this shit only happen to me?!”

“PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER YUMA!” Kotori yells, “You’ve got to win this!”

“I am pulled together!” Yuma yells back, uncovering her face. She gives herself a shake, “Okay, gotta calm down. Just ignore this thing, yeah I’m sure it’ll go away.”

Across the field, Shark calls out to her. “If you’re done yelling at nothing, I’d like to get on with this duel,” he says, setting a card facedown.

“Something about Numbers,” the being—Astral—mumbles. “They’re important to me…yes, they contain my memories!”

“Memories in Numbers?” Yuma squeaks at Astral.

“Yes,” Astral says. “I must duel to regain my memories from these Numbers!”

“You duel?” Yuma asks. She points at Astral and screams, “A DUELING NAKED GHOST!”

“A dueling naked ghost?!” Kotori and Tetsuo echo.

“It’s my turn!” Astral cries.

“IT’S MY TURN!” Yuma yells at Astral. She waves at Astral like they’re an annoying gnat buzzing around her head, and she attacks the Number monster, but even though she deals Shark damage, the monster remains on the field.

“Numbers can only be destroyed by Numbers,” Shark tells her coldly.

“Shit!” Yuma cries, “I don’t have a Number card!”

“Don’t be too sure of that,” Astral says. They look down at their hand. “I feel weak…” they mutter. “You, I need your help. I need that Number card, if I am to lose against it, I have a feeling I’ll cease to exist.  I need you to win against this monster.”

“I’ve been trying to,” Yuma mumbles. “If you would mind your own business maybe I could win!”

“Let me help you,” Astral insists.

“That’s cheating!” Yuma hisses.

“Listen to me!” Astral cries, “If you lose to this monster, I will die!”

That gives Yuma pause. She looks up at the being and notices that indeed, they seem to be quite faint. Yuma’s not sure that Astral is a real thing, but on the off chance that they are…does she want to be responsible for their death?

“Okay,” Yuma gasps, feeling her heart start to race. “Okay, I can do this…we can do this. Tell me what to do.”

This better be good.


	5. Meliorism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meliorism - the belief that the world can be made better by human effort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rewrite of episodes 5-6

Every now and then Astral will suddenly say something, and it makes Yuma jump, which attracts enough stares at is, but then she starts cursing under her breath, which draws even more stares. She can’t explain Astral’s presence to Kotori and Tetsuo, she can barely explain it to herself. Numbers 39, 34, and 17 aren’t in her deck when she’s not dueling, sometimes Astral claims to disappear inside Yuma’s key, where an airship is located (How?! The key is literally the size of her finger!), and no one, not a single soul, can see or hear Astral aside from Yuma.

And to top things off, she’s got this kid from her class following her around and trying to give her a card. Apparently the kid wants to be friends with the girl who beat Shark, and let’s get one thing straight Yuma has kicked Shark’s butt before, this is not news, so she’s bewildered and pissed at everyone for suddenly looking at her like she’s impressive. She’s always been impressive, but she’s also an ordinary student trying to get through middle school, now with a naked ghost accompanying her, and somehow she’s supposed to find Numbers holders and duel them so Astral can reclaim their memories.

In short, Yuma is stressed.

After a day of dodging the kid (Tokunosuke, his name was) trying to give her the card, Yuma is exhausted and she’s damn near snapped at Kotori and Tetsuo multiple times. Somehow she manages to control her temper, as she goes through her evening, but she feels like a rubber band pulled taught, and sometime soon she’s going to snap.

 

* * *

 

 

That snap comes the following day at school, when Yuma practically sleepwalks into class and Takashi shoves his phone in her face.

“What is this?” Takashi demands.

Yuma practically goes cross-eyed. “I can’t see, it’s too close to my face,” she says.

“Don’t play dumb,” Takashi says, “We all got these pictures! You trampled the flower gardens, you pranked the teachers, and you put a toad in poor Taichi’s lunchbox! How could you do that?!”

Yuma is tired, stressed, and hurt by these accusations. She thought Takashi was, if not her friend, at least going to be nice to her after they investigated the city-wide crash. The cold stares of her classmates are like little needles poking at her, just as she was starting to come out of her shell. So, she reverts to how she dealt with things in the gang. She gets loud, and angry.

Yuma slams her backpack down on a nearby desk, making everyone jump.

“First of all,” Yuma growls, staring hard at Takashi, “Let me remind you that I am a year older than you, and I don’t like your disrespectful tone. Second, I have been in this class with all of you for months, have you ever seen a teacher get pranked in this classroom? And third, I haven’t seen these photos but don’t you know well enough by now that everything in this world can be manipulated? Take nothing at face value, don’t ever trust people to tell you the truth, because people will do anything to trick you!”

She stops herself, literally biting her tongue to keep herself from saying more. Her classmates stare at her in shock, and she can feel tears start to sting her eyes. Goddamnit, why is she an angry crier?

“Yuma,” Kotori says softly, but Yuma snatches up her bag and walks out of the classroom, head down to hide her tears.

 

* * *

 

It’s been a long time since Yuma cut school. She half wants to go to the mall and see if Red is there, but she can’t. She walked away from that, and Red respected it, but she doesn’t want to run into anyone who may recognize her.

“That boy made you upset,” Astral says suddenly.

Yuma doesn’t even have the energy to be surprised. She wipes her face on her sleeve and sniffles. “I overreacted,” she mumbles. “I should go back and apologize but I’m too ashamed to face them.”

“Why did he accuse you of those things?” Astral asks. “What did you mean by ‘everything can be manipulated’?”

“I don’t know why he accused me like that,” Yuma says. “As for everything can be manipulated…” she sighs. “I’ve been tricked before. A friend told me never to just outright trust something, I have to investigate it first. It kind of went against ‘kattobingu,’ but I realized my friend was right. I can’t always rush head first into things, because some people aren’t nice. Sometimes they take advantage of you.”

They’re at the mall. Yuma plops herself down on a bench, puts her head in her hands, and sighs. “I guess I got taken advantage of just now.”

“I know how that feels!”

Yuma lets out a shriek and jumps. Tokunosuke is standing next to her, and he looks surprised.

“Sorry,” Tokunosuke says.

“Christ!” Yuma cries, hands over her heart, “You trying to murder me?!”

Tokunosuke shakes his head. “No, I just overheard what you said now and—”

“Why are you skipping class?” Yuma interrupts.

“You’re skipping, too,” Tokunosuke says.

“Yeah, well, I’m a delinquent, apparently,” Yuma snaps, “What’s your excuse?” Then she flinches. “Sorry, I just had a rough morning.”

Tokunosuke adjusts his glasses. “I saw. I followed you because I was in a similar situation as you once. Cast aside by people I thought were my friends. I thought you might need cheering up.” He takes a card out of his pocket. “I’ve been trying to give it to you all this time.”

Yuma looks at it. Baby Tiragon…she knows that card, there’s something funny about it. She looks up at Tokunosuke. “Why would you want to give it to me? We don’t know each other.”

“No,” Tokunosuke agrees, “But maybe we could. How about we have a duel right now, and you use this card. If it helps you, you can keep it. If not, I’ll take it back.”

“Yuma,” Astral whispers, “Something is off about this boy.”

Yuma is inclined to agree, and she’s also inclined to find out just what is going on. So she smiles, takes the card, and agrees to the duel.

She gets a lot more than she bargained for.

“What is your deal?!” Yuma shouts as Tokunosuke summons  _her_  Numbers cards. She can hear Astral groaning in pain, and as annoying as this naked ghost can be, she doesn’t want them to die. “Why are you so heartless?”

“I’m not heartless!” Tokunosuke cries. Yuma can see the Numbers taking hold of him—his hands shake and his eyes are wild. “I’m smarter than you! I learned from my mistakes, I don’t let people trick me anymore. You keep falling for the same shtick over and over. When people tricked me, I tricked them back, I lied and I cheated and I got more for it! I was respected, I was powerful! What have you gotten out of life? You beat Shark and you’re not even a great duelist!”

Yuma feels like her heart is breaking, not for herself, but for Tokunosuke. “Who were they?” She calls.

“Kids who dueled me with an ante!” Tokunosuke says. “I didn’t understand and they knew it!”

Yuma shakes her head. “That sucks, Tokunosuke. That really sucks, and I’m sorry you were hurt like that. But you can’t judge the world because a few people hurt you. Not everyone is looking to make a fool out of you. It’s okay to open up and let people get to know you.”

Tokunosuke stares at her.

“Protect Tiragon,” Astral whispers.

Yuma gets back to the duel, and this time her heart is really in it. One of the hardest things she had to do when leaving the duel gang was forget most of what Red taught her. The girl had a lot of good advice, but in the end, she and Yuma saw the world differently. Red walled herself up, kept only a few people close, and even then she never fully trusted them. Yuma couldn’t close herself off like that, because she didn’t think the risk of being hurt outweighed the benefits of talking to people, of getting to know them.

So when she beats Tokunosuke, and Astral is in one piece and has collected the numbers, Yuma goes and sits in front of the boy she misjudged.

“I get it,” Yuma says. “Being taken advantage of sucks. Being treated like a fool is a horrible feeling. But what’s worse than that is being all alone, because you don’t trust anyone. I don’t want to be an old lady walled up in my own house, afraid to step outside because I see monsters everywhere. Instead, I want to be the kind of person who sees good wherever they go. I want to be happy, and I want to make other people happy. Sometimes that means I have to stick my neck out for someone, and yeah, it may backfire. But if I don’t take that chance, I could miss out on something wonderful.” She takes Baby Tiragon from her deck. “Do you want it back?”

Tokunosuke begins to tear up. Behind her, Yuma hears a shout of her name, and she turns to see Kotori and Tetsuo running over.

“What happened?” Kotori asks.

Yuma grins. “Just having a little chat with my friend.”

“Friend?” Tokunosuke asks.

Yuma smiles. “Sure. You said you haven’t trusted anyone in years, and you can’t be friends without trust. So, I’d like to be the first person to earn your trust, and your friendship. What do you say?”

A tear slips down Tokunosuke’s cheek, and he rubs it away. “You can keep the card,” he mumbles.

“Sweet!” Yuma cries. She ruffles Tokunosuke’s hair. “Thanks, buddy!”


	6. Tatemae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tatemae - the behavior and opinions one displays in public / Yuma explains the difference between male and female to the naked ghost that follows her around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not a rewrite of a specific episode, but it is plot related.

There’s a lot that Yuma finds hard to believe in her life. She can’t believe she has a collection of museum-quality artifacts in her attic. She can’t believe she hasn’t seen her parents in two years. She can’t believe her sister isn’t married yet. She can’t believe she actually beat Shark in a duel, and she certainly can’t believe that even after beating him, Shark’s still running around with his gang and pretending like he has no idea who Yuma is. But what she finds most hard to believe is that there’s the ghost of an alien, floating a few feet away from her, who came to Earth to find Number cards which contain their lost memories.

It’s been about two weeks since Astral started following Yuma around, and after their little bonding moment over Esper Robin, Yuma feels like she ought to get to know Astral a bit more.

“How old are you?” Yuma asks Astral.

“I don’t know,” Astral answers.

“I’m fourteen and a half,” Yuma says.

“Half?” Astral asks.

“Half a year,” Yuma clarifies. “And yes, halves matter.” She looks the alien up and down. “What are those markings on your skin? Are they tattoos?”

“What is a tattoo?” Astral asks.

“It’s ink that’s drawn on your skin and then pushed into it with a needle,” Yuma answers. Then, before Astral can ask, “A needle is long, thin, and sharp piece of metal.”

Astral looks astonished. “That has never happened to me. You know humans who do that?”

Yuma nods. “My dad has a tattoo on his right arm and my mom has one between her shoulder blades. I swear to god Akari has had one since she was sixteen, but she hid it, and she won’t let me get one till I turn eighteen, the hypocrite.”

“It sounds painful,” Astral says.

“Oh it is,” Yuma tells him, “But it’s so cool. So, what are your things called?”

“Skin,” Astral answers. “I don’t think they have a special name. They are just…part of my skin. They absorb all that is necessary for me to survive. Sunlight, water, air, and so on.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Wicked cool,” she breathes. “Is that why you don’t eat?”

“I suppose,” Astral says. “I never feel the need to eat.”

Yuma leans forward, chin in her palm. “So, why aren’t you wearing any clothes?”

Astral shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“I guess you don’t really need them,” Yuma says with a frown. “Especially if you live by absorbing stuff through your skin. Though I’ve gotta admit, it’s kind of awkward looking at you.”

“Why?” Astral asks.

“For the same reason I wouldn’t let you follow me into the bathroom yesterday,” Yuma snaps. “On this planet, male and female are different, and we cover up our physical differences, and we don’t just go around  _looking._  Aren’t males and females different where you come from?”

“I don’t know,” Astral says. “What makes you so different that it must be hidden?”

“You’re like an infant,” Yuma sighs. She turns to one of her trunks and digs out a puberty book that Akari got for her. She opens to a diagram and holds it up in front of her face, so Astral can see the diagrams and she doesn’t have to see Astral. “This is male, this is female,” she says, pointing at the pages that are etched into her brain.

“Oh,” Astral says, blinking. They’re silent for a moment, then say, “Don’t I resemble a female more than a male?”

Yuma slams the book shut. “Do you have a uterus?” She asks.

“A what?” Astral asks.

“Where babies are made!” Yuma says. “Babies grow inside a woman’s uterus for nine months and then…then they’re born.”

“How?” Astral asks.

“Shit, who cares?!” Yuma cries. “Where do babies come from on your planet?!”

Astral’s eyes light up. “I was born from a ray of light, and I heard a voice telling me that it was my destiny to go to earth for some great purpose, which would help save my planet and my people.”

That’s…news to Yuma. She clears her throat. “By any chance, have you heard of Jesus’ Salvation of Mankind?”

Astral looks intrigued. “No, is that a spell card?”

Yuma chokes on her own spit. She wheezes and shakes her head. “Never mind,” she says hoarsely.

Astral looks disappointed. “Is any of this helping you decide if I’m a boy or a girl?”

Yuma shakes her head again. “But, gender is undergoing a revolution on this planet. It’s no longer about one or another, some people feel like they’re a girl and a boy, or neither a girl or a boy, some people who were born with people thinking that they’re girls end up being boys, and the other way ‘round. So you don’t have decide if you’re a boy or a girl based on how you look.”

“You are a girl?” Astral asks.

Yuma nods. “I have been my whole life. Never felt like anything else, though people say I act like a boy. And I used to call myself ‘ore,’ but that was only…” she stops. “Never mind.”

“Then perhaps I am a boy,” Astral says thoughtfully. “I am nothing like you, after all.”

“Do you want me to call you a boy?” Yuma asks.

Astral is quiet for a moment, than nods. “Yes, I think I would like that.”

“Okay then,” Yuma says.

Astral floats to the ground and leans close to Yuma. “Now tell me more about this Salvation of Mankind.”

_Shit._

 


	7. Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever since she beat him on the day she learned about Numbers, Yuma hasn’t seen Shark in school. She wondered if he’d dropped out, and she’s about to call out to him, but he looks through her as if he’s not seeing her at all, and he turns and drives off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episode 10.

Yuma’s been losing so much sleep over Astral and the Numbers, is it any wonder that she’s running fabulously late? As soon as the light changes, she dashes across the street, and nearly gets run down by a motorcycle.

“You imbecile!” Yuma screams, “I have right of—” She stops. Shark stares at her from the seat of the motorcycle.

Ever since she beat him on the day she learned about Numbers, Yuma hasn’t seen Shark in school. She wondered if he’d dropped out, and she’s about to call out to him, but he looks through her as if he’s not seeing her at all, and he turns and drives off.

Yuma dashes out of the street and tries to see where he took off to, but she’s lost him.

Yuma’s in a bad mood when she gets to class, and it’s made worse when Takashi walks up to her and snatches her deck. Yuma snatches it right back and barely holds back from socking him right in the jaw.

“Didn’t you learn in kindergarten that it’s rude to take without asking?” She snarls.

Takashi looks startled, but frowns. “Why aren’t your numbers in your deck?”

“Because a dueling naked ghost has them,” Yuma tells him.

“You’re out of your mind,” Takashi says.

“It’s true,” Kotori pipes up, bounding to Yuma’s side. “Astral has the Numbers.”

“I bet you’re hiding them,” Takashi says, “Because you don’t want anyone to get a good look at your secret weapon. There’s no way you could have beaten Shark or Tokunosuke without them.”

Already pissed off, Yuma balls her hands into fists and takes a step forward.

“Whoa, easy girl!” Tetsuo cries, moving behind Yuma and grabbing her shoulders. “You left that life behind you.”

“One good punch in the jaw,” Yuma growls.

But Kotori comes to Yuma’s defense. “You take that back!” She orders, getting in Takashi’s face. “Yuma was a good duelist way before she got the Numbers. She made some mistakes because she wasn’t used to her deck, but she’s had plenty of victories. Besides, cards mean nothing if you don’t use them properly. A deck full of good cards can lose to a deck of weak cards if the duelists’ skills are skewed.”

Yuma relaxes and even manages to smile. “That’s exactly right,” she says, linking her arm with Kotori’s.

Takashi scowls. “I’m not convinced. I bet you couldn’t beat Shark again if you didn’t use Numbers.”

“Too bad,” Yuma tells him. “You know, I really want to be your friend, but you’ve got such an attitude that you really get on my nerves. I haven’t asked you to prove anything to me, so I would ask that you show me the same courtesy.” And she flounces off to her seat, Kotori by her side.

“I would have thought he’d be nicer to you,” Kotori says as she and Yuma sit.

Yuma sighs. “I do want to find Shark and duel him again, though.”

“Eh, probably not a good idea,” Tetsuo says as he sits in front of Yuma and Kotori. “He’s been running with his gang full-time these days.”

Yuma snorts. “Oh please, Rikuo’s lot doesn’t scare me.”

“Maybe that’s your problem,” Tetsuo says. “You’re so busy being tough and trying to make things work that you don’t stop to think that some people aren’t worth the effort. Try taking care of yourself before you go trying to fix other people’s problems.”

Yuma sighs. “That would be good advice if my problems weren’t beyond fixing,” she says sadly.

 

* * *

 

Yuma remembers where Rikuo’s gang hangs out, and as soon as school lets out, she heads to the old arcade. Red had always talked about dueling Rikuo for it, but he had a bigger gang than she did and she didn’t want to go into an unfair fight, even if Shark was basically the only good duelist of the lot. Yuma even considers calling Red for backup, but that wouldn’t be fair. She left the gang, that’s that.

Astral pops up in Yuma’s field of vision. “I admired what you said to Takashi,” he says, “But what did you mean when you said that your problems were beyond fixing?”

“So you can eavesdrop on me now?” Yuma asks him. She’s arrived at the alleyway that cuts to the arcade. “Great. Well, my main problems are my missing parents and my emotional traumas, one of which has to do with Shark.”

“How so?” Astral asks.

“Pssst, Yuma!” Someone hisses.

Yuma turns and Kotori peeks out from behind a trash can. “What are you doing here?” She whispers.

“Lookin’ for trouble,” Yuma says. “And I don’t want you involved, wait for me at my place.”

Kotori reaches behind her and drags Tetsuo out from the shadows. “You’re looking for Shark, aren’t you?” She asks. “You can’t go in there alone!”

“I agree,” Tetsuo squeaks, then he clears his throat. “It’s too dangerous, we should all go.”

Yuma shakes her head. “Guys, it’s fine. I’ve been here before.” She continues on, knowing full well she can’t stop her friends from following her.

Yuma pries open the doors to the arcade and walks in. “Just as I remember it,” she says, half expecting to hear Red yell out some crude insult to Rikuo.

“It’s creepy,” Tetsuo whispers, then he lets out a loud yelp. Yuma whirls around—Rikuo has Tetsuo in a headlock.

“PUT HIM DOWN, YOU MEATHEAD!” Yuma screams, activating her duel disk.

More of Rikuo’s thugs come out from the shadows. “What have we here?” Rikuo’s brother, Kaio asks. “A couple of pretty things and their dog come to visit?”

Yuma is about to snarl a retort, but someone beats her to it.

“Oye!” Shark calls from the top of the stairs. “I’d let them go, if I was you.”

“Oh? And why?” Rikuo asks.

Shark rolls his eyes. “Have you forgotten what Red’s favorite pet looks like?”

Rikuo looks between Yuma and Kotori, then does a double take when he sees Yuma. He grits his teeth and drops Tetsuo. “Get out of my territory,” he growls, then he beckons his thugs to follow him.

Shark meanders down the staircase. “Why are you here?” He asks Yuma.

“Uh, because of you,” she says. “I want to talk.”

“Too bad,” Shark says, walking past her.

“Then I want to duel!” She tries.

Shark freezes for a second, then continues out the door. “Nope. I’m quitting.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “You can’t quit, you’re in a duel gang!” She shouts.

“Go home, Yuma,” Shark tells her flatly. He walks out the door, never looking back.

 

* * *

 

 

“Why do you bother?” Tetsuo asks on the walk home. They’re next to the river and the sun is setting. On an ordinary day, it would be beautiful. “It really seems like Shark doesn’t want to be helped.”

Yuma stops in her tracks. “Ryoga,” she mutters.

“Huh?” Tetsuo asks.

Yuma walks off the sidewalk and sits on the grassy embankment. She tosses her bag aside and rests her chin on her knees. “Shark’s proper name is Ryoga. I used to play with him over here when I was a kid. We’d go fishing and look for frogs in those tall weeds. Me, Ryoga, and Rio.”

“Rio?” Tetsuo echoes.

Kotori sits beside Yuma. “Shark’s twin sister,” she says quietly. She lays her head on Yuma’s shoulder. “She’s in a coma in the hospital, after she suffered severe burns.”

Yuma sighs. “It was right after my parents went missing. Ryoga and Rio came to the service we had for them, next thing I heard, Rio was in the hospital. I went to see her, and it…it was messed up. Rio’s so full of life. She loved playing sports, she loved bothering her brother, and she loved dueling. She was in a tournament when she got hurt. Losing her…it was the final straw for me. I cut school and I ended up in a duel gang, and I guess the same thing happened to Ryoga. When I first saw him with his gang I was shocked, but then who was I to judge? I guess in a way, I feel like it’s my fault Ryoga ended up like this. He tried to be there for me when I lost my parents, and I should have tried to be there for him when he lost Rio, but I was too wrapped up in my own grief to reach out to him.” Yuma sighs again. “Now he acts like he doesn’t even know me.”

“This was two years ago?” Tetsuo asks. Yuma nods, and he sighs. “Aw, Yuma, you were only twelve. It wasn’t your job to be a crutch for Shark. It’s not your fault he’s like this.”

“Tetsuo’s right,” Kotori agrees.

“But would either of you give up if it was your friend?” Yuma asks. “If it was me?”

Neither of them answer, which is an answer itself. Above her, Astral looks thoughtful.

  

* * *

 

 

The following day, Yuma goes back to the arcade. She meets Shark out front, where he stands as if he’s been waiting for her.

“What do you want?” He asks in a bored tone.

“Same thing as yesterday,” Yuma tells him.

“I told you I quit,” Shark says.

 _“‘I told you a quit,’”_  Yuma echoes in a whiny voice. “You ain’t quit, you’re in a goddamn duel gang!” She snaps.

“Leave me alone,” Shark orders, and he takes off running.

Yuma gives chase, but she ends up falling behind a bit—she may have jumped gates and rivers with Red and the gang, but it’s been a full year since then and she’s out of practice. She still manages to catch up to Shark at the docks, and she once again demands a duel.

“Yuma, just go home,” Shark tells her, trying to catch his breath. “Why do you care?”

He makes to turn, but Yuma calls out, “I care because I’m your friend, Ryoga!”

At the sound of his real name, Shark stops in his tracks. He turns with a wild look in his eyes. “That was the past!” He snaps. “We’re not friends anymore!”

“I’m sorry,” Yuma says desperately. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when…when Rio…” she feels tears sting her eyes. “I was hurt and I didn’t think about how much you were hurting…”

Shark snarls. “You want a duel? Fine! If you win, I’ll quit the gang, but if I win then you will never say Rio’s name in front of me again, you will never reference us being friends, and you will stay away from me! Am I clear?!”

Her heart is breaking, but Yuma agrees to the terms.

And she loses on purpose.

It goes against everything in her, and she knows that Shark can tell and is disappointed in her, as are Astral, and Tetsuo and Kotori, who showed up near the end of the duel.

As Yuma’s life points drop to zero, she stares down her former best friend. She remembers him pushing his onions on to her plate at restaurants, the sleepovers they had when their parents were away on business trips, and the time she and Rio convinced him to be Prince Charming for Halloween.

“Congratulations,” Yuma says as she fights tears. “I’m out of your life now. Are you happy?”

Shark turns his back on her.

Yuma screams at him, “I SAID ARE YOU HAPPY?!”

He walks away in silence. Yuma wishes he had run her down with his motorcycle, it probably would have hurt less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someday Takashi will stop being a jerk. Today is not that day.


	8. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma tries to finally get through to Shark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My rewrite of episodes 11-12

Yuma expects Tetsuo and Kotori to be mad at her. It’s fine, she knows losing on purpose was a mistake. She walks past them on Monday with her head down, and she silently takes her seat. At lunch she wanders the hallways until a hand lands on her shoulder and she jumps, turning to come face-to-face with Tetsuo.

“I don’t even care that you threw the duel,” Tetsuo tells her. “I’m mad because it did nothing but make you miserable. He may have been your friend, but do you think Shark lost any sleep over that duel? Look at you, you’re a mess. You’re stringing yourself out for someone who doesn’t even care.”

Yuma knocks his hand away. “He does care!” She hisses. “The Ryoga I know would lose sleep over that duel and it did do something!”

“Yeah?” Tetsuo asks. “Well he’s not Ryoga anymore, he’s Shark.”

“And he has no parents, no sister, and no friends to watch his back,” Yuma snaps. “I’m lucky, I have something, and goddamnit all if I don’t remind him that he’s got me, I’ll never forgive myself!”

“I hope you don’t die of sleep exhaustion before then,” Tetsuo snaps, and he stalks off.

“That would take at least six months!” Yuma yells after him, “I looked it up!”

Kotori ends up speaking to Yuma again by the end of the day, but neither of them talk about what happened during the duel. As they leave school, a lanky boy with a black eye runs up to Yuma.

“You’re one of Red’s girls, right?” He pants.

“Not anymore,” Yuma says.

“But you’re a friend of Shark?” The boy asks.

Yuma nods slowly and the boy grabs her arm. “They’re gonna do something to him, Rikuo and Kaio. Shark warned me off, he said he could handle himself, but I don’t think he can. They haven’t been the same since, since they found those cards.”

“Cards?!” Yuma asks, grabbing the boy by the shoulders. “What cards?”

“N-numbers something?” The boy says.

Astral materializes by Yuma’s shoulder. “If Shark is with two Numbers holders, it could indeed mean he’s out of his league.”

“Where are they going?” Yuma demands.

“The museum, tonight,” the boy says. “They’re planning a heist!”

Yuma curses under her breath and moves the guy over to Kotori. “Get this guy to the hospital, will you? I gotta go help him.”

“Yuma, wait!” Kotori yells.

“I failed Rio once already!” Yuma calls as she runs away, “I’m not going to fail her again by letting her brother get hurt!”

Yuma had seen the report of a new installation at the museum, she kind of figures that there’s no way a couple of thugs and Shark can get away with the treasure thievery, but she doesn’t trust the judgement of two guys possessed by Numbers either.

“What do numbers do to people’s heads?” Yuma asks Astral as she runs.

“They unleash their deepest fears and desires,” Astral answers, “And magnify them tenfold.”

“How come they don’t affect me?” Yuma asks.

“That is the question, isn’t it?” Astral says.

Yuma ends up at the museum, and she spots the trio of idiots not bothering to look inconspicuous in the least. She cups her hands around her mouth and screams, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

The three of them turn to look at her, and Rikuo and Kaio scowl while Shark looks like he wants to die.

“What’s Red’s pet doing here?” Kaio asks.

“I’m not Red’s pet,” Yuma snaps, “I’m Yuma, and I’m my own person. I know what you’re up to and I’m here to stop you.”

Rikuo laughs. “You and what army?”

“Who says I need an army?” Yuma asks. “I can take you on alone, I’m not afraid.” She stands with her arms folded. “Are you afraid of me?”

The two gang leaders laugh. “You’ll be easy pickings for us, girl,” Rikuo says with a leer. “We’ll destroy you.”

Yuma activates her duel disk, as do Rikuo and Kaio, but Shark steps out from behind them and crosses the gap between them and Yuma.

“Where are you going?” Rikuo demands.

Shark turns and give him a cold look. “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of,” he says. “I draw the line at letting you hurt Yuma.”

Rikuo gives Shark a dismissive look. “Then you’re weaker than I thought.”

Shark activates his duel disk. “Actually, I’ve never felt stronger.”

Yuma almost wants to cry. There’s the boy she remembers.

 

* * *

 

“I can’t take much more of this,” Tetsuo says flatly, turning his back on Kotori. “I’m not watching Yuma jump in front of a bus for that guy.”

“She’s not—she’s just trying to be a good friend!” Kotori says, stomping her foot. “She was right the other day, neither of us would stop if it was Yuma who needed help!”

“Yuma would never be like Shark,” Tetsuo says.

Kotori lets out a scream of frustration. “She  _was_  Shark!! I was there, I saw her! She was him and she came back, that’s why she’s so invested in him! And she needs us now!” She spins on her heel and marches off. “I’m going to go cheer Yuma on, and if you’re really her friend, you will too!”

Tetsuo hesitates for only five seconds before he groans and turns around. “Wait up!” he calls after Kotori.

 

* * *

 

Shark closes his eyes as Rikuo and Kaio taunt him about his disqualification from the championship duels.

“Oh my god, will you shut up?!” Yuma screeches. “Who cares if he was afraid of losing? Everyone is afraid of losing, isn’t that why you two have given yourselves to the Numbers cards? Even I’m afraid! I know what’s at stake, and…!” She breaks off, choking back sobs. “And I know that it was a mistake, and he regrets it every day of his life, because the last thing he wanted to do was let anyone down…”

Shark stares at Yuma in disbelief as she turns to him with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she gasps. “I know I said I wouldn’t bring it up anymore, but…you know she’s proud of you, right?” She sniffles, and gives him a shaky smile. “I think she’d be proud of both of us, right? Working together again, trying to do the right thing.”

Shark takes a deep breath, and he actually smiles. “Yeah…yeah I think she would be.”

Yuma looks over Shark’s shoulder and sees Kotori and Tetsuo running over. She smiles at them and waves. “Hey, look!” She shouts, “I finally got through his thick skull!”

“OYE!” Shark yells, and Kotori laughs and pumps her fist in the air.

“Way to go, Yuma!” She cheers. “I knew you could do it!”

Somehow, Yuma manages to get through the rest of the duel without crying. They win, she and Shark—Ryoga—they win together, and Yuma is so happy that even as their opponents are running away and Astral is absorbed in a new memory, Yuma has eyes only for Ryoga.

She’s doubled over, hands on her knees, but she looks up at Ryoga and smiles. “That was fun,” she says, tears spilling over once more.

“You cry too much,” Ryoga tells her.

Yuma sniffles. “I meant what I said.”

Ryoga glances down at his feet. “Yeah, I know. And…you’re right.”

Yuma sobs and launches herself at Ryoga, hugging him tightly. Ryoga pats her back, and Yuma hears Tetsuo say, “Jeez, he didn’t apologize, what’s the deal?”

Yuma takes a step back, wiping her cheeks, and she asks, “C-can we go see her? I haven’t been since…”

Ryoga even starts to look a little misty eyed. “Yeah. I’ll…find you after school tomorrow.”

Yuma is officially a blubbering mess, crying so hard that Kotori comes over and dabs at her face with tissues, and then she starts crying too. Yuma and Kotori sob on each other’s shoulders while Ryoga makes his escape, and Tetsuo announces that he doesn’t understand girls.

“I’ll be back to my salty self soon,” Yuma assures him.

Tetsuo shakes his head. “You’ve got snot on your chin.”

Yuma wipes her chin and shrieks when she realizes that he’s right. “Gross!” She whines, rubbing her face off on her vest. “Ugh, why am I such an ugly crier?”

“You’re an ugly everything,” Tetsuo says.

Yuma staggers to her feet and raises her fists. “Oh yeah? You w-wanna say that to my f-face?” She asks, shaking with a combination of sobs and laughter.

Tetsuo slings his arm over Yuma’s shoulders and puts her in a gentle headlock. “Brat,” he says.

“I’m older than you,” Yuma fires back.

Tetsuo lets Yuma go and helps Kotori to her feet.

“I still think Shark’s a jerk,” Tetsuo says. “He didn’t actually apologize to you, and he sped out of here real fast.”

Yuma shrugs. “Eh, he’s always been like that. He’ll get better.”

“If you say so,” Tetsuo says, handing Kotori more tissues. “Now how about we get out of here?”

Yuma nods, and she wraps one arm around Kotori’s waist and the other around Tetsuo’s back as the three of them make their way back to town. It’s funny, she used to walk with Rio and Ryoga like this, and where the thought once may have hurt her, now it makes her feel all soft and warm.


	9. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of how Yuma met Kite takes a sassy turn in this universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episodes 13-15 (the first part of episode 15 at least)

When Kotori freezes in front of the truck, Yuma doesn’t think twice. She’s lost her parents and Rio already—she’s not going to lose another friend. She dives forward and shoves Kotori out of the way, and a jolt goes through her just before she hits the ground. She closes her eyes, braced for impact of tires running over her, but it never comes.

“Yuma!” Astral cries.

She opens her eyes—everything is frozen, just like it was at the mall. She sits up, and she hears a whistle.

She whirls around—she didn’t get a good look at the glider guy from the mall, but she knows his whistle, he was accompanied by the same strange-looking robot, and time stopped when he was around. The guy lets out a shout, and the frozen rain drops scatter.

Yuma shakes water out of her eyes. “You extra piece of—” She begins, but she stops. The guy is standing feet away from her, awash in the glow of headlights, and smirking.

Yuma whimpers. He’s  _so hot._

“This is a special field,” The guy tells her. “Only those with Numbers cards can move in it, so I know that you have a Number. I will be taking it.”

Yuma snaps out of her daze. “The hell you will!” She screams, jumping to her feet.

“Yuma, we should leave!” Astral cries.

“No, we’re going to fight,” Yuma says.

“Get out, run!” Astral insists.

“If we run, he’ll follow us,” Yuma says. “Let’s face him now.”

A red beam of light shoots from the guy’s wrist and latches on to Yuma’s. She gasps, following the line of light from her wrist to the guy standing twenty feet from her. The light vanishes, but the guy throws his arm back, and Yuma’s wrist is jerked forward.

“You’re not going anywhere,” the guy says. “We’re stuck together until one of us wins this duel.”

Okay, Yuma is officially over her ten-second crush. This dude is creepy. “THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?!” She screeches, and the guy actually looks kind of surprised. Yuma whips her arm back and forth, jerking the guy’s wrist along with it. “What—kind—of—BSDM—nonsense—are—you—into?!” She screams with each move of her arm.

The guy’s robot gasps and sputters something, but the creepy-guy cuts it off. “Shut up,” he snaps, out-muscling Yuma and forcing her to stop moving her arm around. “Your sense of humor is disgusting.”

“YOUR ATTITUDE IS DISGUSTING!” Yuma hollers at him. “I’m gonna hand your ass to you!”

“Yes, be confident, Yuma,” Astral says. “We have no choice.”

“Didn’t you just tell me to run?” Yuma asks as she activates her duel disk.

“That was when you had the option,” Astral says.

“Go, Photon transformation!” The guy yells, and he’s swallowed by a white light. His clothes change, and a duel tattoo covers his eye.

Yuma can’t hold back her sass. “Got a flair for the dramatic have you, Sailor Moon?!” She yells. “Or should I call you Sailor Uranus?” The guy actually looks pissed off, and Yuma snorts. “Man, too bad no one heard that, that was a good one.”

“You’re a child,” the guy says coldly. “I’m going first.”

“Be my guest,” Yuma fires back. Her blood is boiling, she’s going to give this duel her all.

But her all turns out to be not enough. The guy she’s facing is stronger than she or Astral could have imagined, and he’s ruthless. Just as Yuma realizes that she’s done for, the guy cuts the duel anchor from her arm and says he has to leave.

“My name is Kite,” He says as his robot transforms into a motorcycle, “And this isn’t over.”

As Kite rides away, the rain starts falling once more, the truck honks past Yuma and Astral, and Yuma hears Kotori scream her name.

Yuma stands in shock as Kotori runs to her. “Yuma,” she pants, “What happened?! Are you okay?”

Yuma looks at Kotori. As far as she knows, she barely avoided being killed by a truck. Kotori’s face is white and she’s shaking, and Yuma can’t imagine that she’s looking much better. The rain is cold, and both of them are shaking from shock. Yuma swallows her fear down and forces herself to remain calm.

“T-tell you later,” Yuma stammers. “L-let’s go h-home.”

She and Kotori begin to walk home. Rain drips down from their hair, sending shivers down their spines. They keep their arms wrapped around each other and press so close that Yuma can’t tell which of them is shaking more. Yuma chomps down on her lip so she won’t sob out loud. She feels so hopeless.

 

* * *

 

 

The only time Yuma actually lays on her bed is when she’s upset about something. It’s hard to lay on her stomach and put a pillow over her head while lying in her hammock, after all. Kite, despite having a fantastic butt, is the scariest person she’s ever met.

“He’s not done with us,” Yuma mutters. She sits up, flinging the pillow off her head, and finds Astral floating in front of her window. “What else can you tell me about the Numbers? We’ve gotta work out a strategy for them if we want to beat Kite.”

Astral sighs. “I wish I knew something more, I have gone over everything we did, but I can’t think of anything we could have done that would have helped.”

Yuma flops back down. “Fantastic,” She sighs.

There’s a sudden pounding of footsteps in the hall and Yuma’s door flies open, Kotori and Tetsuo rushing in with flushed faces and big smiles.

“Yuma, look!” Kotori cries, shoving a flier in Yuma’s face, “There’s going to be a duel carnival!”

“Duelists from all over will be coming to Heartland for a tournament!” Tetsuo says.

Yuma reads the flier, wondering if Kite knows.

“Aren’t you excited?” Kotori asks.

Yuma shrugs. “Not like I can enter it, I’ve got a lifetime ban thanks to my sister.”

Kotori and Tetsuo deflate. “That hasn’t stopped you lately,” Tetsuo says quietly.

“Yeah,” Yuma agrees, “But there’s a difference between street duels and a televised contest. Akari would actually murder me.”

There’s a laugh from the doorway, and Yuma looks up to find her grandmother standing outside. “Akari knows better than to break the law,” Grandma says. Tetsuo and Kotori move aside to let her in, and she sits on Yuma’s bed. “What she seems to forget is that I’m the one with primary custody of you.”

That gets Yuma’s attention. “What are you saying?”

“Yuma, you like dueling, don’t you?” Grandma asks.

Yuma nods. “I do.”

“Then you should go for it,” Grandma says.

Those words might have made Yuma’s day if not for Kite. “I don’t know that I want to enter the tournament, though.”

“Why not?!” Tetsuo asks.

“I just…” Yuma shrugs. “I don’t know if I can win.”

Grandma frowns. “Now Yuma, life is about more than winning.”

Yuma reaches up to her neck and grips the Key in her hand. “Is it?” She asks.

Grandma gets a Look in her eye. “Hmm…I have an idea. There’s a friend of mine who lives pretty far outside of town, and he’s a well-known trainer for Duelists. If you bring him some food I made, maybe he’ll teach you a few tricks that’ll help get your confidence back.”

Yuma thinks about Kite and how she’ll probably have to face him eventually. “Well, what have I got to lose?” She asks with a sigh.

Grandma thumps Yuma on the back. “That’s the spirit!” She cheers, “Now get out of here before it gets dark!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “And Kite had tennis elbow the next day, and he never used a duel anchor on Yuma again.” - My sister, when I told her about this story.
> 
> No seriously when I rewatched episode 13 and when Kite yanked his wrist back and Yuma's wrist was yanked forward, my mind immediately went "UH, CONSENT NEEDED, KITE?!"
> 
> Also if I haven't rewritten it, events in the original are considered compatible with this series. So Yuma's duels with the teacher, with Cathy, and with Fuya, and the remainder of episodes 15-16 are as seen in canon.


	10. Adomania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adomania - the sense that the future is coming too quickly // All Yuma wants is to keep her friends safe, but she can't keep them away from everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episodes 13-14

Yuma looks down at the new cards in her hands. “With any luck, these will be helpful when that BDSM-obsessed onion head comes calling,” she mumbles to herself.

But of course, nothing is ever to herself anymore. “That is the second time you have mentioned that assortment of letters,” Astral says. “What does it mean?”

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Yuma says. She’s actually early to class for a change, so she settles in at her desk and plays an online game until her friends arrive.

“’Sup?” Yuma asks as Kotori, Tetsuo, and Takashi approach.

“We have to talk,” Kotori says, grabbing Yuma’s hand and tugging her out of the classroom. In the hall, she shows Yuma and article about duelists who have mysteriously aged.

Yuma hopes that her face gives nothing away as she thinks back to the incident at the mall. “Weird,” she says, passing Kotori’s tablet back to her. “Why’d you bring me in the hall for that?”

“Because,” Tetsuo hisses, glancing around, “All those duelists had Numbers cards!”

Takashi adds, “And lots of duelists have been attacked recently, so we’re worried about you.”

That actually makes Yuma smile, and she leans over and ruffles Takashi’s hair. “That’s sweet of you to say,” she tells him, and she smiles at Kotori and Tetsuo. “But there’s one thing that you have to remember—I’m no sucker. Now I don’t know what the correlation is between numbers and these guys, or if there even is one, but if I feel like something is wrong…” her smile drops and she fixes each of them with a stony stare, “The last thing I’ll do is get any of you involved.”

The three of them look shocked.

“Why?” Kotori asks. “Is it dangerous? Because if it is then you shouldn’t be involved either!”

“I don’t know,” Yuma says. “I’m almost certain that there will be an element of danger at some point, but what you all need to remember is that I brought this on myself. I took the power that the Key gave me, that made Astral, the Numbers, and anything else that comes along with them my problem. Not yours, mine.”

“But—” Takashi begins.

“Nope,” Yuma says firmly. “My mess. Mine, mine alone. Now I don’t want to hear another word about this.”

Tetsuo opens his mouth, and Yuma loudly cries, “I think I just got my period! Hang on, I have to go to the bathroom!”

The boys, predictably, blush profusely and Kotori checks her backpack for a pad, and Yuma makes her escape. She does not go to the bathroom, but rather to the roof, where she hops up on the air conditioning unit and paces back and forth as Astral watches.

“What is a period?” Astral asks.

“Forget about it, you perv!” Yuma snaps, chewing on her thumbnail, “We have bigger problems to worry about. I can only keep those guys at arm’s length for so long, and if they get mixed up in this nonsense with Kite I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Then why not tell them that Kite is dangerous and they need to stay away?” Astral asks.

“Because,” Yuma groans, “If I tell them about a specific threat, they’ll be even more determined to make sure that I stay away from the threat, too!” She stomps her foot. “Ugh, if only I had been strong enough to get him the first time! Stupid, magical girl-knockoff, arrogant sonuva—”

“Yuma?”

Yuma shrieks and almost trips over her own feet. She turns and sees Cathy peeking over the edge of the air conditioning unit. “Cathy!” Yuma gasps, hands over her chest, “Oh, I didn’t notice you there!”

“You remember my name?” Cathy asks shyly.

“Of course,” Yuma says. “What’s up?”

“Well I saw you here and I just…who are you talking to?”

“Myself,” Yuma answers. “There’s this RPG I’m playing online and I’m getting my butt whipped.” She laughs. “Silly to get so involved, isn’t it? But I just can’t help myself.”

“I understand,” Cathy says.

Yuma hops down from the unit. “Thanks, Cathy. Sometimes I just gotta vent, you know?” She winks, and heads back into school.

 

* * *

 

“She’s hiding something,” Kotori mutters as Yuma dashes off, claiming to have a doctor’s appointment.

“No kidding,” Takashi says. “That’s why I have an idea!”

“And it’s a good one,” Tetsuo says with a grin.

They lead Kotori outside, where Takashi announces his plan.

 “I suggest we form a club—a Numbers investigation club! If Yuma won’t tell us what’s happening, then clearly the solution is to find out for ourselves.”

“Do you think it’s safe?” Kotori asks.

“There will be three of us,” Tetsuo says. “We’ll have each other’s backs.”

“Perhaps a fourth would be good?” A voice calls from above.

Kotori yelps as Tokunosuke drops from a tree.

“I would like to join this club!” Tokunosuke says.

“Oh, you were possessed by Numbers, weren’t you?” Tetsuo says excitedly.

“Yup!” Tokunosuke says, “And I remember absolutely nothing from it!”

Kotori groans while Takashi and Tetsuo almost fall over.

“Ahem,” says a soft voice, “Can I join, too?”

The four of them turn around. Cathy peers out from behind a tree.

“Cathy, you know about Numbers?” Takashi asks excitedly.

“Well, no,” Cathy says, rocking back and forth, “But I heard Yuma talking to herself yesterday. She was talking about someone named Kite, and if her friends got mixed up with him, she would never forgive herself.”

Kotori gasps. “Did you ask her about it?”

“I did,” Cathy says, “But she said she was talking about an RPG.”

“Yuma doesn’t play RPGs,” Kotori and Tetsuo say together.

“So she must be covering up this Kite person’s true identity!” Tokunosuke cries. “That should be where we start!”

“Okay,” Kotori says, “Let’s all split up and search for clues.” She giggles, “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

 

* * *

 

 

Yuma lounges on the grassy embankment by the river. This place has always been a safe spot for her, a quiet place where she can relax.

Astral sighs for the umpteenth time in the last five minutes and Yuma flinches. So much for her relaxation. She sits up and snaps at Astral, “Not one more sound out of your mouth or I’m gonna get some ghost duct tape and—”

“YUMA!”

Yuma jumps up at Cathy’s destressed cry, the girl is in tears as she races up to Yuma. Yuma holds out her arms and Cathy falls against her.

“What happened?” Yuma asks.

“Kotori and the boys, they’ve been kidnapped!”

“What?!” Yuma cries, her heart stuttering in her chest.

“We were looking for information,” Cathy gasps, “And there was a man…” her body suddenly goes rigid. She backs away, and her voice takes on a chilling tone. “Hello, Yuma.”

“C-Cathy?” Yuma asks, taking a step back.

“No,” Cathy’s mouth says with a smirk that is unlike the sweet girl Yuma knows, “My name is Jin, and I serve Tenjo Kite. I have your friends, and if you want to see them, you’ll come and give me your Numbers.”

Before Yuma can say or do anything, Cathy suddenly goes limp, and Yuma manages to reach out and catch Cathy as she falls. Cathy blinks and is suddenly hysterical once more.

“Yuma?! What just happened?”

“It’s okay, Cat-chan,” Yuma says with a confidence she doesn’t feel. “We’re going to go get our friends back. Show me where you all went this afternoon.”

She’s going to give Kite and Jin hell for this.

Cathy leads her to the dilapidated mansion, and Yuma marches in like a battle hero, but her bravado vanishes as Jin taunts her, and as he points up to Kite, sitting high above the duel field. It’s further thrown by the image of her friends surrounded by…

What the hell?

As Yuma activates her duel disk, she squints at the holoscreen that shows her friends standing on a stalactite and surrounded by lava. She barely listens to Jin as he rants and raves about Kite. How the hell did this madmen kidnap her friends, get them to a volcano, and come back in time for this duel? They weren’t near any volcanoes, and Yuma had seen her friends just hours earlier.

Between her confusion, Jin’s ramblings, and her friend’s screams for help, she’s making dumb mistakes in this duel, and Astral is suffering.

“Give me your numbers,” Jin orders as Yuma’s life points fall, “And I’ll let your friends go. Kite and I will show mercy.”

Yuma looks up at the shadowy figure above the duel field.

“It’s obvious what we need to do,” Astral says with a heavy tone. He turns to Yuma. “Surrender the Numbers and me, it’s the only way to save your friends from Kite.”

Yuma snarls, “You shut your mouth! I’m not surrendering you or the Numbers!”

“But your friends,” Astral gasps.

“And you are one of them!” Yuma cries. She starts to get teary-eyed as she looks at Astral. “We’ve been together for weeks, how could you not know that I care about you the same way I care about all of my friends?!” She whirls on Jin. “And you! You can just go straight to hell, I don’t believe a word out of your lying mouth!” She looks up at the shadowy figure. “Is that even Kite?!” She screams, “He’s been awfully quiet!”

Cathy lets out a hiss. “Let’s find out!” And bless that girl, she leaps from ledge to ledge until she gets to the shadowy figure and gives it a damn good roundhouse kick to the head.

And the head goes flying,  bouncing several times before landing at Yuma’s feet.

“A statue,” Yuma says. She laughs hysterically. “I knew it, I fucking knew it!” She grins at Jin, more a flash of teeth than a smile. “Hey, Takashi!” She hollers.

“Y-yes?” Takashi asks.

“Where’s the nearest active volcano?” Yuma asks.

Takashi seems to regain some of his composure. “200 kilometers away.”

Yuma nods. “And what time did you guys get here?”

“Around six,” Cathy says as she leaps down. She seems to catch on to Yuma’s train of thought.

Yuma looks at her duel disk. “It’s barely after seven!” She looks up at the holoscreen showing her friends and calls to them, “Guys! Can you feel heat? Can you smell sulfur?”

They shake their heads, and Yuma continues, “It’s an elaborate trick! It’s probably a VR field, I don’t think you’re in any danger!”

“But what if we are?” Tokunosuke yelps.

“You’re okay!” Yuma cries. “I promise! Trust me!”

Kotori takes a deep breath and steps off the ledge of rock…landing seemingly in midair.

“Huh?!” Kotori gasps, “It’s solid ground!” She puts out her hands and knocks something over—the lava field flickers and vanishes, revealing the desk that the boys are standing on.

Yuma laughs. Her friends leap off the desk and run out of the field that the holoscreen shows, but seconds later a door nearby opens and they dash in.

“We’re safe!” Kotori cheers. Cathy runs to her and the two of them hug.

Yuma fixes Jin with a steely stare. The man looks flabbergasted. “Astral,” Yuma says, “You and I are going to win this.” She grins at him. “I’m not giving up on you.”

A beam of light shoots out of her pendant and hits Astral square in the chest. Astral is enveloped in light, and when it fades, Yuma hears several gasps.

“It’s Astral!” Kotori says.

“He  _is_  real!” Takashi says in a strangled tone.

“You can see him now?” Yuma asks them.

“Yuma,” Astral says calmly, bringing Yuma’s attention back to him. “We have a duel to win.”

Yuma feels a wave of strength rush through her. “Gotcha,” she says.

And they do win. They beat Jin to a pulp, and Yuma is totally going to ask Astral about this Chaos XYZ thing later, but first she has something to do.

Astral takes Jin’s number card, and Yuma walks up to the man who threatened her friends. She stands with her feet planted a breath away from Jin’s head, and she looks down at him like he’s scum on her shoe.

“You don’t scare me,” Yuma tells him coldly. She raises her voice, “And you don’t scare me either, Kite.” She turns in a slow circle, looking up. “Yeah, you weren’t here, but you’re watching, aren’t you? You saw me overcome my hesitation, you saw me wipe the floor with this guy. I’ve got news for you Kite, I’ve faced scarier people than you. You mean nothing to me!” He voice rises to a shriek. “Do you hear me, Kite?! You have no power over me!! You’re a cowardly, BDSM freak, onion-headed bastard, and I’m not afraid of you!”

She turns on her heel and looks over her friends. “Come on,” she tells them. “We’re leaving.”

Yuma leads the way out of the mansion and she gets a solid block away from it before she veers to the edge of the sidewalk and vomits into a sewer drain.

“Yuma!” Kotori squeaks, running to her side. “Oh gosh, are you okay?”

Yuma wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She’s shaking, her teeth are chattering, and she’s near tears. “No I am not okay!” She almost shrieks. “This exactly what I was trying to avoid!” She staggers back and collapses on the sidewalk, overcome with sobs. She buries her face in her hands and dry heaves, flashing back to the images of her friends surrounded by lava. Yes, it was ridiculous, and she quickly figured out it was a trick, but it was damn good one, considering Rio suffered severe burns. Someone touches her shoulder and she flinches.

“I can’t keep anyone safe,” Yuma gasps, “I can’t save anyone, why do I bother if things never work out the way I want them to? Oh god I can’t believe it almost happened again…!”

“Yuma,” Astral says firmly. “You must breathe.”

Yuma takes a deep, heaving breath. She lowers her hands. Someone hands her a tissue and she blows her nose. Her hands are shaking. She blinks away tears. Her friends are crouched around her, each of them looking worried, sheepish, and sad.

“You were so brave,” Cathy murmurs.

Yuma sniffles. “I’m never truly brave. I’m just a really, really, good liar.”

“Not that good,” Tetsuo says, “You told Cathy you were ranting about an RPG.”

“Why couldn’t you leave it alone?” Yuma wails, fresh tears spilling over her cheeks.

Kotori elbows Tetsuo hard. “We didn’t leave it alone because we wanted to help,” she says as Tetsuo looks even more sheepish.

“And you almost died,” Yuma says.

“Well, in the end, were never in danger,” Takashi says.

“Oh no?” Yuma asks sarcastically. “That should help my nightmares, considering I already dream about Rio burning to a crisp every night!” She breaks off with a gasp. “Oh god I can’t breathe…”

Astral appears in her line of sight. He kneels in front of her, places his hands over her hears, and presses his forehead to hers. She can’t feel him, not really, not the touch of his skin against her own, but she can feel heat from his body where it touches her.

“Yuma,” Astral says, his voice calm and even, “Your friends desire to stand up for you. Perhaps you should let them. They have the same desires in their hearts that you do.”

“It’s not the same,” Yuma whimpers. “They can bleed, and burn, and…”

“And I’m not Rio,” Kotori says firmly. Yuma looks at her, and Kotori takes her hand; Kotori’s hand goes through Astral’s, and now there’s twice as much heat on her hand. “None of us are Rio.”

“You could be,” Yuma says.

“And if we did end up like her, it wouldn’t be your fault,” Kotori says, her voice breaking. “We have free will to decide if we want to be here or not.”

“You’re kids!” Yuma cries, looking around at her friends. “You—”

“You’re a kid, too,” Tokunosuke interrupts. “You aren’t that much older than me.”

“It’s different,” Yuma says, “I—”

“Made a choice?” Takashi offers.

“Am part of something bigger?” Tetsuo asks.

“Understand the danger?” Kotori asks, “Because that’s not true.”

Yuma sighs. “I’m not getting you away from this, am I?”

“Especially not now that we’ve seen Astral,” Cathy says. “He’s real, and if he’s your friend, then he’s our friend, too.”

Astral seems surprised. “Can they still see me?”

Yuma sniffles. “Can you guys…still see Astral?”

“No,” They all answer together.

“Is he here?” Kotori asks.

Yuma nods and even manages to smile. “He’s right in front of me. Your hand is going through his hand.”

“Oh…oh!” Kotori cries, taking her hand off Yuma’s. “I’m…did I hurt him?”

Yuma shakes her head. “Nah, he’s fine.”

“Good,” Tetsuo says. “Since Astral’s okay, we should work on making ourselves okay. How about we all go to my place for some hot chocolate?”

“Oh god, that sounds amazing,” Yuma says.

“I’m down,” Tokunosuke agrees, getting to his feet. “Let’s go!”

So they all stand and begin walking away, arms around each other as they go. It’s not a perfect situation, Yuma knows it, but she’s got to acknowledge that her friends can make their own decisions. That doesn’t mean she can’t track down and kick Kite’s cute butt (and the rest of his obnoxious self) before he gets a chance to really hurt them, though.


	11. Unimaginable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are moments that the words don’t reach, There is suffering too terrible to name...They are going through the unimaginable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episode 19 (titled after the song "It's Quiet Uptown" from the musical Hamilton).

“And don’t forget,” Kitano-sensei calls as the class puts away their bags, “This weekend is Parent’s day.”

Yuma doesn’t even think about it until she looks up and catches Kotori’s horrified glance, and Yuma finally realizes what’s been said.

Parent’s day. She actually  _did_  forget.

Out in the hall, Tetsuo asks loudly about which family member will be coming to school, and Kotori shushes him, but Yuma shrugs.

“Whatever,” she says, “I just won’t come.”

It’s stupid anyway. They didn’t have parent’s day in elementary school, why start now? And why not call it Family day, make inclusive?

 _‘Because family is mom, dad, and child,’_  a voice hisses to Yuma.

“How are you going to get out of it?” Tetsuo asks.

“The less you know, the better,” Yuma says.

 

“Are we doing anything this weekend?” Yuma asks at dinner on Thursday night.

“I’ve got a reunion!” Grandma says happily. “I can’t wait to see my old friends.”

“I’m going to a wedding,” Akari says. “Grandma, is your reunion on Saturday?”

“It is,” Grandma says.

“So is my thing.” Akari glances at Yuma. “You gonna be okay by yourself?”

Yuma snorts. “Are you kidding? I can’t wait. I’m gonna go in your room and look through your porn stash.”

Akari turns bright red and lets out a shriek. “YUMA! Where do you get such ideas?!”

Yuma almost chokes. “Oh shit, I was kidding, do you actually have one?!”

“GRANDMA!” Akari screams as she puts Yuma in a headlock. Grandma is no help, she laughs hysterically as Yuma and Akari scuffle. Yuma is loving it.

But that night, Yuma lies awake in bed, thinking about her parents.

On Friday morning, Yuma looks like death warmed over, and she does nothing to hide it. Akari actually looks shocked when Yuma comes downstairs looking pale, disheveled, and rubbing her eyes.

“You okay?” She asks, her hand on Yuma’s forehead.

Yuma shrugs. “Didn’t sleep well,” she mumbles.

She heads to school, and she makes sure that her teachers see how horrible she looks. Kitano-sensei even pulls her aside and says that it’s okay if she doesn’t come the next day, and Yuma has to fight back a smirk. She’s done it, she’s gotten out of Parent’s day.

 

On Saturday, Yuma waits until she’s heard the door close before she comes down from the attic. She eats breakfast, packs a backpack with water and snacks, and she grabs her skateboard and heads to the park.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Astral asks as Yuma speeds down a sidewalk. “You seem tense.”

“I am tense,” Yuma mutters, “But I’ll get over it.”

She heads to a section of the park that has skating ramps, and she moves between them, her movements absentminded as she wonders what’s happening in her classroom. She doesn’t want to, but she imagines herself being there with her mom and dad. She imagines sitting proudly in her uniform, glancing back to wave at her parents. She imagines introducing her mom and dad to her teachers, bragging about all the cool stuff they do and the trips they’ve taken her on.

She imagines her dad, ruffling her hair and telling her how proud he is of her. Of course, if her parents were here, Yuma wouldn’t be a first-year student, she would be a second year. Maybe Ryoga would be there, too. Maybe Yuma could have talked her parents into being surrogates for him. Maybe they would have gone out to dinner after, and maybe they would have had a great time.

Yuma suddenly loses her balance on her board, and through some spectacular failure of her own making, the cord around her neck snaps and her key goes flying.

“Yuma!” Astral screams.

Yuma runs to the key and scoops it up, her heart hammering. It’s not broken, thank heaven. Yuma cradles the key to her chest.

“Be careful,” Astral snaps at her. “I don’t know what will happen to me if that breaks!”

Yuma snarls, “Oh shut up, it’s not all about you right now!” She stalks back to her board and skates away, suddenly done with the park for the day.

She ends up once again near the river, and she flings herself down on the grass and presses the key to her chest.

“I’m sorry,” Astral says quietly. Yuma glances at him, and he continues, “I didn’t mean to yell at you, I was worried.”

“No, I get it,” Yuma says. She holds the key between her fingers and looks it over, checking for cracks. “I’m sorry, too. I know this is important to you. It’s important to me, too.”

Astral sits next to Yuma, looking at the key. “How did you come to own it?”

Yuma smiles. “My dad gave it to me when I was eight. I was having a rough time, and we…we had a good talk, and then he gave me the key and told me about kattobingu for the first time.”

 

* * *

 

 

It was the one time Yuma didn’t want to go camping with her dad. He drove them out to the wilderness, hoisted their gear onto his back, and started walking. Yuma followed, but she complained the whole way. She stomped her feet, she shouted, she cried, she threw herself down on the ground and refused to move, but her dad didn’t stand for it.

“Up you get,” He said, hauling Yuma to her feet even as she went boneless. “You’re going to like this.”

“I wanna go home!” Yuma said.

“Nope, I’ve got a surprise for you,” dad told her. “Now come on, up and at ‘em.”

Yuma burst into tears, but her dad took her hand and walked her along. “Not much farther,” he said over her continued cries.

 

 

“So Yuma gets suspended from school, and goes camping with dad,” Akari said, frowning at her mother. “What exactly is going on here?”

Mirai sighed heavily. “Yuma is…having a hard time. Your father wants to talk to her about it, but she’s fighting him.”

“Okay, now I’m worried,” Akari said. “What happened to my baby sister?”

Mirai took Akari’s hands. “Yuma is being bullied at school. She got suspended because she fought back. She said something to me, something that worried me, and your father. Dad just wants her to be confident in herself.”

“What did she say?” Akari demanded.

 

 

Yuma sat with her arms around herself as dad set up camp. He built a fire and put up their tent, and he put a pot of water over the fire to boil. Then he sat next to Yuma and said, “Mom told me about what happened at school.”

Yuma rubbed tears from her eyes.

Dad continued, “She also said that when you got home, you covered yourself in white chalk, and then asked her how you could look like that forever.”

Yuma lowered her head and sobbed.

Dad scooped Yuma into his lap and patted her head. “Honey, what happened?”

Yuma sniffled. “I dueled them and I won, and they said…said it didn’t count, because I cheated. When I said I didn’t, they made fun of me. They asked if I even knew how to read. Then they…” she sobbed again and said, “They called me dirty. And it’s not the first time, either!” She buried her face in her dad’s chest and cried. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have hit them, but I was so mad!”

“Oh dear,” Dad said with a sigh. “You get that temper from your mom for sure.”

Yuma leaned back and stared at her dad. “Huh? Mom says I get it from you.”

Dad laughed. He stood up and swung Yuma up on his shoulders. The sun had set, and an endless blanket of stars lay over their heads. “Yuma, look at how beautiful it is right now.”

Yuma rubbed her eyes and looked at the sky. “It’s big,” she said, confused by the change of subject.

“Huge!” Her dad agreed. “And did you know that it’s endless? Space just goes on and on, and it’s full of secrets and hidden potential. It’s beautiful, just like you.”

“Me?!” Yuma squeaked.

“Of course!” Dad said. “You’re my beautiful little girl, full of potential and secret talent, waiting to burst forth from you someday. You’re a shining star, Yuma.”

“I don’t feel like a star,” Yuma said with a pout.

Dad lowered Yuma from his shoulders and back on to the ground. “Oh yes, that can sometimes happen. After all, the stars themselves don’t know that they’re stars. They don’t know that we look up at them and think that they’re beautiful. Just like you—” he poked Yuma’s chest gently, “Don’t see yourself the way I see you. Right now, you see yourself the way those boys at school do. Those boys filled your head with bad thoughts.”

Yuma sniffled. “Why did they do that?”

Dad sat down. “I suppose because they don’t understand you. Sometimes when people don’t understand something, they yell at it, or get afraid of it. They want to make that big thing they don’t understand something small and helpless, so they can control it.” He patted the ground next to him, and Yuma sat. “Let me ask you something,” Dad said, “What is your dream?”

That was easy. Yuma perked up instantly. “I wanna be a duel champion!” she cried.

“Aha!” Dad said. “Now that’s a good dream. And do you think you have what it takes to be champion?”

“Yes!” Yuma said happily.

Dad put his hand on Yuma’s shoulder. “Then that’s all that matters. When it comes to yourself, the only person whose thoughts matter are your own.”

He looked at the ground and drew two circles, and a bigger circle around them. “There are lots of worlds within our own. The biggest ones are positive world, and negative world.”

“Like magnets?” Yuma asked.

“Exactly,” dad said. “And those boys at school, they put your head in negative world. Your dream belongs in positive world, so you need to get back to positive world.”

“How?” Yuma asked.

Dad smiled at her. “By believing in yourself. And believing in yourself has nothing to do with the color of your skin, or how people feel about it. Believing in yourself comes from your heart. You know, people made fun of me for my skin too, when I was your age, and that made me very sad.”

“Are you still sad?” Yuma asked.

Her dad looked thoughtful. “I’m sad that those people wanted to make me someone smaller than I was. But I know who I am. I’m not dirty, or worse because I’m different. I’m happy with who I am, and I believe in myself.” He laughed. “Kattobingu!”

“Huh?” Yuma asked.

“Kattobingu,” her dad repeated. “It’s a word I made up, it means never give up and always believe in yourself, even if it seems like everything is against you. Nothing in this world is impossible Yuma, not if you believe in your dream.”

And for the first time in days, Yuma smiled.

“There’s my little star’s beautiful smile,” dad said. He reached into his pocket and took out a small bundle of tissue paper. “I want you to have this.” He put it in her hands, and she unwrapped it.

“Your key, daddy?!” Yuma gasped, staring down at the golden key. “Akari will be so jealous! Is it really okay?”

Dad winked. “Akari gets the car once she learns to drive, so you can have this. As long as you promise me—” he held out his pinky finger, “That you’ll remember kattobingu.”

Yuma linked her pinky finger around her dad’s. “I promise!”

 

* * *

 

 

“And then I asked him what his dream was,” Yuma says to Astral, “And he said it was to go to the edge of the world.” She snorts. “I laughed and said that was impossible, because the world is round and doesn’t have an edge. But I think he may have been on to something.” She grips the key tightly. “He was in a hiking accident. When rescuers found him, he had this key, and he said he saw another world.” Yuma draws her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on her knees. “I wonder if he found the edge of the world.”

“YUMA!”

Yuma’s going to have a heart attack one of these days. She flails, somehow manages to sit upright, and twists around to see her sister charging down the embankment.

“What are you doing here?” Yuma asks, and as soon as the words leave her mouth, her grandma follows Akari down to the river. “What are both of you doing here?”

“Why didn’t you tell us it was Family day?” Akari demands, stomping up to Yuma. “I had to find out from Tetsuko!”

Yuma feels a flash of annoyance. “It’s not Family day,” she snaps. “It’s Parent’s day, that’s what they call it.”

Akari’s face falls. “I still would have gone.”

“As would I,” Grandma says.

“Well you both had stuff to do,” Yuma says. She twists around to face the river and says loudly, “And I didn’t want to go anyway.”

Akari sighs and plops down in the grass next to Yuma. “Aw, kiddo…”

“Don’t ‘Aw kiddo’ me,” Yuma says gruffly.

Grandma sits on Yuma’s other side and takes her hand. “Your dad brought you here all the time, didn’t he?” She asks softly.

Yuma can feel Astral’s startled glance. Defensively, she says, “I come here a lot. I like it here. I feel closer to both of them here.”

Akari puts her hand on Yuma’s back. “You’re allowed to miss them, you know.”

Yuma feels tears sting her eyes, and she blinks them back. “We never talk about it,” she says quietly.

Akari looks at the river. “I think about him every time I get in that car,” she says. “The other day I saw my reflection in the corner of my eye and I jumped, ‘cause…”

“You thought it was mom?” Yuma offers, a lump in her throat. “Yeah, you look like her.”

“You’re both so much like them,” Grandma says. She smiles at them. “They would be proud of both of you.”

At that Yuma finally sobs. She twists away from her sister and grandma, and hides her face in her knees. “Not me,” she whimpers.

“Yes, you,” Akari says firmly. She wraps an arm around Yuma’s shoulders and tugs her close. “Look at how far you’ve come, look at how smart you are, how many people love you!”

Yuma doesn’t look up. “I still screwed up.”

Grandma hugs Yuma as well. “They would still love you. That’s what parents are for, to love their children no matter what. And that’s what extended family is for, too. Your sister and I will always love you, dear, and we will always be proud of you.”

Akari laughs, suddenly, “Grandma, do you remember when I broke my bedroom window?”

Grandma laughs. “Oh goodness, how could I forget?”

Yuma picks up her head. “You did what?”

Akari grins. “I was jumping on my bed, like I wasn’t supposed to do, and I tripped and in trying to catch myself, I slammed my hand against my window. Cracked the glass and scratched myself real good. But I didn’t want mom and dad to know, so I wore gloves to dinner and said my hands were cold. It didn’t work of course, because it hurt and I was scared. Mom yanked the gloves off me and I burst into tears…” Akari gets choked up and she clears her throat. “She just took me into the bathroom, cleaned up my hand, and got me all bandaged up, and she said that I should never be afraid to tell her and dad anything. She said that even if they did get mad, they would still love me, and being mad was temporary, but love was forever. And especially if I was hurt, all she and dad wanted to do was help me get better.” She wipes her eyes and laughs. “Aw crap, now I’m crying.”

“That’s how you need to remember your parents,” Grandma says. “They would have moved heaven and earth for you girls.”

Yuma rubs her eyes and smiles. “Yeah…yeah, you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” Grandma says. “Now, your dad taught you how to skip rocks here?”

“I didn’t say that,” Yuma says, “But he did…how did you know?”

“He told me,” Grandma says. “And I never did learn how to skip rocks, will you show me?”

Yuma leaps to her feet. “Absolutely!” She cries. “Let’s go!”

The three of them go down to the edge of the river, and Yuma ignores the signs that request people not go in the water. She kicks off her shoes and socks and steps into the shallow water, and after rolling her eyes, Akari joins. Grandma hoots with laughter and takes off her outer robe, following suit.

“I haven’t done this since I was a girl!” Grandma cries as she gathers her underskirt in her hands and swishes her feet in the water. “Of course…” she winks at the girls, “I was wearing much less.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “You went skinny dipping?!”

“GRANDMA!” Akari screeches.

Astral watches the three of them as they skip rocks in the river, and he quietly says, “Observation fourteen, family loves family, and family is forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite headcanons for Zexal is that the Tsukumo family is mixed race. Through my own research I know that there's a significant population of South American/Japanese people, and that's how I picture Kazuma Tsukumo, that his father, Yuma's and Akari's grandfather and Haru's husband, was Brazilian and moved to Japan. I think it would be a lovely thing to have a canon mixed race YGO protagonist and show mixed race children that they're present and visible.


	12. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great // Astral faces Numbers 96

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically a complete rewrite of episode 20, because honestly it doesn't fit the flow that I've established. That episode barely fit the canon flow. Tetsuo and Yuma had a fight in episode what, 14? Idk but this fight was too soon after.

“I wonder when we’ll meet Numbers 69,” Yuma says as Astral absorbs Numbers 96.

“You’re gross,” Tetsuo accuses.

Yuma sticks her tongue out at him. “Like you weren’t thinking it.”

“I don’t get it,” Kotori says.

“Good,” Tetsuo and Yuma tell her at the same time.

“You guys wanna chill at my place this weekend?” Yuma asks as they start to walk away. “We can have a movie marathon.”

“No more horror movies,” Tetsuo orders, “That last one was creepy.”

“ _Repo the Genetic Opera_  is not horror,” Yuma says, “It is an art form.” She suddenly feels a little lost, and she turns around. Astral hasn’t followed. “Astral?” She calls, “You coming?”

Astral startles and floats along after Yuma.

 

* * *

 

96’s vision won’t leave Astral’s head. The monster wasn’t very powerful, but the memory associated with it was disturbing. It’s been the case that the Numbers monsters will be in some way associated with the memory they unlock, so why would such a weak card possess a vision of Earth being destroyed? Especially since Earth is clearly not destroyed, and that card is clearly not a vision of what has passed. So…is it a vision of the future?

Staring at the airship, Astral shudders. He has not been on Earth for very long, but he certainly doesn’t wish for the planet to be destroyed.

 

* * *

 

It’s been a full 24 hours and Yuma and Tetsuo are still debating the genre of Repo. Kotori walks ahead of them on the way home from school; she’s used to this by now.

“I can’t even watch Spy Kids anymore because now all I can think about is Alexa Vega covered in blood,” Tetsuo says.

“Good, Spy Kids was terrible!” Yuma says. “And don’t tell me Zydrate Anatomy isn’t a bop.”

Tetsuo purses his lips. “Okay but that one scene with the—”

Yuma suddenly yelps and doubles over. “Ow, ow, ow!” She cries, grabbing the cord around her neck and ripping it off. “It’s hot!” She flings the key away from herself, and Astral bursts forth from it.

“What’s happening?!” Astral cries.

“Astral!” Yuma screams.

Black goop oozes from the key and covers Astral’s body. Yuma falls to her knees and stares in disbelief as Astral writhes in the grip of long strings of the ooze. Her mind goes blank, and she’s paralyzed with fear.

“Yuma!” Tetsuo cries, “Do something!”

“Like what?!” Yuma demands, tears threatening to overwhelm her.

“Stop it!” Tetsuo commands, “Now’s not the time to fall to pieces, Astral needs you!” Yuma can hardly breathe, but Tetsuo hauls her to her feet. “Talk to him!”

Yuma takes a step towards Astral. “Y-you can fight this!” She calls to him.

Astral gasps and stares at her. “96 is stronger than I thought,” he says in a strangled tone, “I…don’t know…”

“Don’t talk like that!” Yuma shouts. “Don’t let it do this to you!”

Astral squeezes his eyes shut. The ooze briefly stops its ascent up his legs, and Yuma calls, “Yes, it stopped!”

But a splash of black liquid hits Astral’s face and he cries out.

Yuma charges towards Astral. She’s never been able to touch him before, but she reaches out to him anyway. She grabs at his hand and screams, “Come on! I can’t…I don’t know how to help you!”

Astral looks at Yuma, panic on his face. “Me neither,” he gasps. “96…I’m scared of it…”

“That’s okay!” Yuma tells him, “It’s okay to be afraid, but you can’t let that fear control you! I’m here for you, I’ll help you face it!”

Astral grits his teeth and squeezes his eyes shut. A bright light forms at his chest and spreads over the rest of his body, and the black ooze retreats, falling in big splashes to the ground. But the ooze begins to take shape, hovering in front of Astral, twisting and turning into something terrifying. In seconds, a mirror image of Astral floats in front of him and Yuma, only this one is made of that terrible slime, and when the not-Astral opens its eyes, Yuma is horrified by the look it gives them.

“You can’t fight me,” the thing hisses. “I am 96, and I am the strongest Number.”

“No!” Yuma cries, reaching for Astral’s hand again, “Hope is the strongest Number! I don’t know what you are but you’re not Astral, and you can’t control him!”

Yuma turns to Astral—he looks as terrified as she feels. Yuma squeezes his hand. “Tell it,” she says, “Tell 96 that it has no power over you.”

“Y-you have…” Astral stammers.

96 smirks.

Yuma stands between Astral and 96. She walks towards 96, her head spinning. “Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here…” She keeps moving forward. “For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great…” She stands in front of the parody of Astral and puts out her hand; it goes right through 96. Yuma grins and looks over her shoulder at Astral. “See, Astral? It’s not even there. It’s not real. Say it with me, ‘You have no power over me.’ Say it, Astral!”

Astral whispers, “You have no power over me.”

“Louder!” Yuma orders.

“LOUDER!” Tetsuo and Kotori yell.

“You have no power over me,” Astral repeats, louder.

“ONE MORE TIME NOW!” Yuma screams, pumping her fist in the air.

“YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!” Astral yells. He holds out his hand, and 96 lets out a shriek as it is absorbed back into the key.

Yuma jumps up and down, whooping and clapping. “You did it, Astral!”

Kotori and Tetsuo join Yuma in cheering. Kotori runs over. “You touched Astral’s hand!” She cries, “I saw it, you did it!”

Yuma gasps. “I did, didn’t I?! Wait, you saw?”

Tetsuo nods. “From the time that ooze appeared until 96 went away, we could see Astral.”

Astral floats over, and Yuma reaches for him, but her hand goes through his. “Oh,” she says, a little disappointed, “I can’t anymore.”

“It’s okay,” Astral tells her. He smiles. “Thank you.”

Tetsuo nudges her shoulder. “You Labyrinth thief,” he teases.

Yuma winks at him. “Shall we watch that movie? Astral hasn’t seen it yet.”

“Travesty!” Tetsuo cries.

“I’m down!” Kotori says.

And they continue on their way, Astral smiling down at the trio as they break into song.

_“You remind me of the babe…”_

_“What babe?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned that “You have no power over me” line in part 9, and I just love it for Yuma in this universe. I love Yuma loving Labyrinth.
> 
> I also love Yuma loving Repo The Genetic Opera. If you haven't seen that movie, it's quite gory, not so scary, but there is a bit of body-horror so don't watch it if you're squeamish. I can't believe I actually watched the whole thing through once, but I found one of the songs online and after that I listened to the whole soundtrack. It was amazing!


	13. Foible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When she was little, Yuma would fall all the time. She scraped her knees, elbows, palms, chin…and each time she fell, dad was there to pick her up, brush her off, and kiss it better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not a rewrite of a specific episode, but it is a look into Yuma's mind.

“KATTOBINGU!!” Yuma screams as she leaps and hits the handrail. Her slide starts out great, but as she nears the bottom of the rail she can tell that she’s going to miss the landing. Sure enough, her board goes flying out from under her feet, and she tries to brace herself as best she can. She lands hard on one knee and throws her hands out in time to keep her nose from colliding with the sidewalk. Her gloves save her palms, but her bare knee suffers from the impact.

“That is quite a lot of blood,” Astral says as Yuma brushes gravel out of the scrape. Her kneecap is stained red and it stings as she brushes her fingers over it.

“It’s because the skin is thin on the knees,” Yuma says offhandedly. She spits on the open wound, then gets up to retrieve her board.

“Yuma, I have a question,” Astral says. “Why do you protect your head, hands, and elbows, but not the rest of your body? It seems to me that your wounds could be avoided by wearing pants.”

“I wear pants to school and in the winter,” Yuma says, “It’s hot right now, and pants are constricting. And I’m not taking fashion advice from you, you’re stark naked all the time!” Yuma hops on her skateboard and takes off down the sidewalk, muttering about naked ghosts.

At home, Akari gets predictably ticked by Yuma’s bloody knee. “Damn it Yuma, can’t you try to be safe?” She snaps, “Look at you, you’re dripping blood!”

And indeed, the blood has dripped on to Yuma’s sock and shoe. This is why she doesn’t wear her good shoes when she skates—that, to her, is careful enough.

“It’s a scratch!” Yuma says, exasperated. “I could just as easily scrape my knee by slipping on a banana peel, you know. It’s not like I got impaled.”

Akari glares at her briefly before rolling her eyes. “Go to the bathroom,” she says.

Yuma sighs. She’s used to this—wash, disinfect, and protect. Lillybot follows Yuma out of the kitchen, holding gauze, peroxide, and Neosporin. Yuma takes those things from the robot at the bathroom door and then shoos her away. She scrubs her legs in the tub, rubbing soap right over the wound.

“I thought I told you not to follow me in here,” Yuma says as she feels someone staring at her.

“Akari’s concern made me concerned,” Astral says. He hovers close, staring at Yuma’s knee. “Doesn’t it hurt? Most humans whom I’ve seen with such injuries cry.”

“I’m no wimp,” Yuma says. “I wouldn’t cry over a skinned knee.”

It’s unhealthy, what Yuma does, and she knows it. She thinks Akari knows it too, and that’s why she’s such a pain about it, but it’s been so long that Yuma’s not quite sure how to stop.

When she was little, Yuma would fall all the time. She scraped her knees, elbows, palms, chin…and each time she fell, dad was there to pick her up, brush her off, and kiss it better. In a way, the pain grounds her, it reminds her that she’s present in this world. But it also makes her think of times when she had someone to help her through it.

That’s why, a week after her parents vanished, in a fit of rage and devastation, Yuma stood in the bathroom at 1 AM, held a sewing needle over a candle flame until it was sterile, and then drove the needle into her earlobe. It hurt like hell, and she kept expecting her parents to barge into the bathroom, yelling at her to knock it off. She expected the same thing when she got her cartilage pierced, when she got in fist fights with girls and boys who were older and bigger than her, and when she dueled even though Akari told her not to. Even now when she tumbles off her skateboard, sometimes she thinks she’ll look up and see her dad with a bandage in hand, ready to patch her up.

Yuma pats her leg dry. The blood is washed away from the rest of her leg, now it sluggishly creeps back up over the scrape. She squeezes antibacterial ointment on the wound and covers it with a bandage.

She also wonders if she does this because she’s mad. She knows it’s not mom and dad’s fault that they went missing, accidents happen, but some part of her still blames them. Sometimes she thinks that when (if) her parents do come home, she wants to yell at them. She wants to show them her scars and scream that they did it to her. If they were just here, Yuma doesn’t know if she would be so reckless.

“Yuma?” Astral calls.

She jumps—she’s standing still in the bathroom doorway. “I’m hungry,” she mutters as she ignores Astral’s look of confusion. She runs down the hall yelling, “Grandma! Can we have fish for dinner?”


	14. Zexal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma turns and sees a robot streaking towards her. She puts both hands over her key and jumps to the side—the robot misses her, but turns around with clawed arms outstretched. Yuma recognizes the robot, it belongs to Kite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episodes 22-24

Lillybot hands Yuma her lunch as she dashes out the door. “Thank you, Lilly!” Yuma calls, leaping off the steps and landing on her skateboard. She can count on one hand the number of times she’s been early or even on-time to school lately, and once again, she’s running late. Once again though, it was Astral’s fault. He had just that morning told Yuma that he believes once all his memories are retrieved, the airship will be made whole and be able to fly.

“How?!” Yuma had shrieked as she fell off her hammock. “It’s inside the key!”

“I believe your key is a dimensional portal,” Astral had said.

“Well for god’s sake,” Yuma grumbled, picking herself up, “I hope the ship doesn’t come busting out when I’m indoors, I assume it would be massive!”

Yuma grips the key tightly in her fist as she speeds down the sidewalks. These are mad times she lives in.

 

* * *

 

 

“It’s a safety hazard!” Takashi insists as he points at Yuma’s key, blocking her from jumping into the pool.

Yuma knocks his hand away. “Watch yourself, it looks like you’re pointing at my boobs.”

Takashi blushes and sputters, “You can’t distract me, Yuma! You should leave it off in the pool.”

“You of all people should know why I can’t just leave it my locker,” Yuma says. “Astral lives in here! What if someone steals it?”

“It’ll be safe,” Takashi insists, “You have a combination for a reason.”

Yuma grumbles and stomps back to the locker room. She takes the key off her neck, then hesitates. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she whirls around. She’s alone, but she feels like she’s being watched.

 _‘Kite,’_  she thinks. She bets the perv is spying on her. She grips the key and stuffs it down the front of her swimsuit.

“Suck it, onion-head,” she whispers, strutting back to the pool. It’s a little uncomfortable, swimming with the key pressed against her sternum, but she like that she knows exactly where it is.

The feeling of being watched stays with Yuma for the rest of the day, but every time she looks around, she doesn’t see anything strange. Maybe she’s just being paranoid, but she grips the key tightly and keeps her guard up.

As she’s leaving school, Yuma finally starts to relax. She actually feels safe in public, because there’s so many people around. Surely, nothing bad will happen.

“Yuma, look out!” Ryoga suddenly yells from behind her.

Yuma turns and sees a robot streaking towards her. She puts both hands over her key and jumps to the side—the robot misses her, but turns around with clawed arms outstretched. Yuma recognizes the robot, it belongs to Kite.

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Yuma screams, her hands over her key. People on the street stop and turn to her, confused. Kotori and Tetsuo run to Yuma’s side, and Yuma takes one hand off her key to point at the robot. “HELP!” She screams, “IT’S STALKING ME!”

The robot looks around, sees people taking notice, and quickly reaches out to grab the cord around Yuma’s neck. Yuma does the only thing she can think to do—she shrieks. Loudly, wordless, at the top of her pitch range, she shrieks. She sounds like she’s being murdered, and she refuses to let go of the key. Yuma feels the cord slip away, but the robot takes off, and the key is still safely in Yuma’s grasp.

A half-dozen adults start to rush towards Yuma, all looking positively flabbergasted. Ryoga gets to her first, elbowing past Kotori and Tetsuo to grab Yuma by the shoulders.

“What was that?” Ryoga demands. “Did you know that thing?”

Yuma slumps against his chest, and she tucks her hand—the one still holding the key—under her chin. “It wanted my key, it wanted Astral,” She whispers.

The adults, business people in suits and dresses, safe and responsible, surround Yuma, asking if she’s okay. One man gets out his phone and Yuma hears him say, “Hello? Police? I just witnessed a girl being assaulted by a rogue robot.”

An older woman gently touches Yuma’s arm. “Here sweetie, come sit down.”

Ryoga and the older woman guides Yuma to a nearby bench and steady her as her knees buckle. She holds a hand to her head—she’s shaking. Kotori sits next to Yuma and gives her a water bottle. Ryoga sits on Yuma’s other side, and Tetsuo stands a few inches away, looking around as if expecting the robot to come back. Yuma’s never been so grateful to have them by her side.

“Young lady,” the man on his phone says, leaning towards Yuma, “Do you want to file a police report?”

Yuma nods, though she doubts it’ll do much good. The adults linger, now talking amongst themselves about how they had never seen a robot act in such a way before. One woman takes out a magazine from her purse and uses it to fan Yuma a bit. Yuma knows she looks positively ashen, and when the police pull up they take one look at her and ask if she needs to go to the hospital.

“She’ll be alright,” Ryoga says quickly, “She just needs to go home, I think. It was quite shocking.”

The police officers take statements from the witnesses, including Ryoga, Kotori, and Tetsuo. Yuma’s begun to shiver by then, and one of the police officers says she must be going into shock.

“It’s alright, miss,” he says, “We’re going to do our best to track down this robot. Do you have any idea if anyone might want to hurt you?”

Yuma shakes her head. Kotori opens her mouth, and Ryoga reaches behind Yuma’s back, seemingly to pat her shoulder, but he pinches Kotori’s arm warningly. No one mentions that the robot was trying to steal the key.

The police officers end up driving Yuma home. Her friends want to go with her, but she mumbles that she wants to be alone. She rides in the front seat while one officer sits in the back. Akari looks momentarily floored when she finds Yuma on the front steps flanked by police, but the officers explain that a rogue robot attacked Yuma for an unknown reason. Akari thanks the police for taking care of Yuma, and they promise Yuma to let her know if they uncover anything about the robot. Yuma collapses on the sofa, but even in her own house she feels like she’s still being watched.

“Heavens, first robbery with robots and now assault?” Grandma says as she hands Yuma a cup of tea and shakes her head. “What some people won’t do.”

“You gonna be alright, kiddo?” Akari asks, placing her hand on Yuma’s forehead. “You’re all clammy.”

“I think I want to lie down,” Yuma says.

Akari nods. “Finish your tea first. And stay in your bed, please, I don’t want you fainting on the way up the ladder to the attic.”

Yuma nods and takes her mug of tea to her room. As soon as she shuts the door, she leaves the mug on her dresser and crawls under the covers. She holds the key to her mouth, closes her eyes, and whispers, “Astral, please come out.”

When she opens her eyes, Astral is lying next to her. “That was frightening,” he says. He looks as shaken as Yuma imagines she does. “And I have no doubt that it was Kite’s doing.”

Yuma clenches her hand around the key. “He tried to take this.”

Astral shakes his head. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I’ve never wished so badly to be something corporeal. I know what that key is to you, I don’t want Kite to take something your father gave you.”

“Idiot,” Yuma mumbles, “I don’t want to lose the key just because dad gave it to me. I was worried sick about losing you, too.”

Astral’s eyes widen. He blinks rapidly a few times, and then he smiles. “Well, I am still here.”

Yuma closes her eyes. “Don’t go back in the key, even if I go to sleep.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Astral says.

 

* * *

 

Orbital zooms into the lab, frantic, and locks the door behind itself.

“That was quick,” Kite says.

The robot jumps. “That g-g-girl is a terror!” It squeaks, “She s-screamed so loud she j-jammed my systems!”

Kite frowns. “Do you have the key?”

“N-n-no,” Orbital admits, “B-but I got a c-complete scan of it!”

Kite rolls his eyes. “Pathetic,” he says. “You couldn’t steal a trinket from a little girl?”

Orbital flails its arms around. “There were p-p-people everywhere! I t-tried to steal the key during the day b-but the girl shoved it down her—”

“I don’t care,” Kite snaps. “Let’s see these scans and find out if they can tell us anything about the key.”

Orbital manages to create a 3D-rendering of the Key, and it goes over the molecular scans. “Th-there’s a gravitational f-force with in the k-k-key!” It exclaims.

“A portal?” Kite asks.

“P-possibly,” Orbital says.

“Hack it,” Kite orders. “Recreate that portal for me, here and now.”

If robots could sweat, Orbital would be dripping with it. The robot types away, going so fast that it begins to overheat. “We need p-power of some kind,” it says.

Kite looks the robot over. “Use some of your Barian crystal.”

The robot whimpers, but does as ordered. With a flash of light, a spiraling vortex opens up in the lab.

“It w-worked!” Orbital cries, leaning back.

Kite takes a few steps back. “Let’s test it,” he says calmly, and he takes off running into the vortex as Orbital screams his name.

 

* * *

 

Yuma sleeps for an hour before she wakes up, cold, alone, with a dreadful sense that something is terribly wrong. She shoots upright, key still clutched in her hand, and she looks around the room. Astral isn’t there, despite his promise that he would be, and Yuma knows Astral enough to know that he wouldn’t break his promise. She holds the key to her mouth and whispers,

“Astral, talk to me.”

There’s silence.

A chill goes through Yuma—a feeling she hasn’t had since she found out that her parents were missing. This time though, she’s in a position to do something about it, because she knows who is to blame for this. She leaps to her feet and dashes to her laptop. She fumbles for the cord that connects her duel disk to her computer and plugs it in, and she lays one card on the disk’s card reader—Number 34, Terror-Byte.

Yuma doesn’t know how she’s so confident that this is going to work, but the disk lights up, and a little Terror-Byte sprite appears on her computer screen.

“Astral’s in trouble,” Yuma whispers to the sprite. “I need you to find the robot that attacked us this afternoon, and track it down.”

Later, Yuma will wonder if she dreamed this whole thing. She guides the sprite on her computer screen through dozens of security cameras, through public photos, and through satellite images, until the last image of that robot is pulled up on the screen, disappearing into a warehouse down by the bay.

“Gotcha,” Yuma hisses. She grabs her phone and hopes Ryoga hasn’t changed his number.

The phone rings twice before he picks up. “Do you know what time it is?”

Yuma tucks the phone against her shoulder. “Astral’s gone,” She tells Ryoga, ignoring his question, “And I know it’s Kite’s fault.” She grabs a necklace from her dresser, threads the charm off of it, and hangs the key from the chain instead.

“So what are you going to do?” Ryoga asks.

“Remember the warehouse at the bay?” Yuma asks, pocketing her deck and disconnecting her duel disk from her computer. “The sonuvabitch is hiding out there, meet me at the gate I need backup.” And she ends the call, hoping he’ll be chivalrous enough not to let her go in alone. She puts the key around her neck, dashes up to the attic, flings open a trunk and grabs a bag of stuff from her duel gang days. Then she opens the attic window, slips out onto the roof, and climbs down the wall using the crumbling foot-holes she can navigate so well. With any luck, grandma and Akari will never know she was gone.

 

* * *

 

Astral stands, confused, in front of the airship. A moment ago, he was lying beside Yuma and watching her sleep. How did he get here?

Astral feels a chill go through his body and he turns. Something coming towards him. No, not something, someone.

“Kite,” Astral says as the figure approaches.

“How do you know my name?” Kite demands.

Astral narrows his eyes. “I dueled you before. With Yuma.”

Kite smirks. “The messenger of Astral world attached itself to that crude child?”

“Don’t insult Yuma,” Astral snaps, “She is a better human than you can hope to be. You steal souls along with Numbers.”

“I take what I need for my family,” Kite snaps, “What do you need Numbers for?”

Astral stiffens. “They contain my memories. I need them to—”

“I don’t care,” Kite interrupts. “I’ll be taking your Numbers.”

Astral frowns. “No, you won’t.”

Kite chuckles. “You don’t sound confident. Duel me, and we’ll see who wins the right to have the Numbers.”

 

* * *

 

When Yuma hung up on Ryoga, she figured he’d want to tag along just to make sure she was okay. What Yuma didn’t count on and absolutely didn’t want was for Ryoga to call the rest of the crew.

“I don’t believe I ordered the cavalry,” Yuma says, glaring at Ryoga as her younger friends dash up behind him.

“Is it true that Astral is missing?” Kotori asks.

“Just who is Astral, and who is Kite?” Ryoga asks.

Yuma sighs. “Astral is a naked, dueling spirit from another world who came to earth to complete a mission from his home planet, but he doesn’t remember what that mission is and he needs to gather numbers cards which contain his memories. Kite is a psychotic, BDSM-obsessed, Sailor Moon-wannabe Numbers hunter who has it out for me and Astral. The robot that attacked me this afternoon belonged to him, and since I was attacked by Kite’s robot and now mere hours after Kite set his robot on me Astral is missing, I can only logically conclude that Kite did something to  _make_  Astral go missing!”

Ryoga blinks at her. “That is, surprisingly, not the weirdest sequence of things you’ve ever told me. So what now?”

“Now get them out of here!” Yuma shrieks, pointing at her friends.

“Not a chance,” Tetsuo says.

Yuma throws her hands up. “Oh to hell with everything, if we all die at least we’ll die together!”

“D-die?” Takashi asks quietly.

Yuma throws down her bag and drags from it a bolt cutter and a pack of gum. She chews the gum and sneaks around a nearby wall, holding up her hand to keep her friends from following. She spots a security camera, takes a deep breath, and spits the gum as far as she can. The gum lands on the camera lens.

“Bullseye,” Yuma crows. She walks under the camera, gets on her tiptoes, and pushes the gum until it covers the whole lens.

“How the hell did you spit it that far?” Ryoga asks.

Yuma picks up the bolt cutters and walks up to the chain-link fence to start cutting. “Red taught me a few tricks.”

“Since when do you have a bolt cutter?” Tokunosuke asks.

“It was a birthday present,” Yuma says. She cuts a hole in the gate, and slips through. She and Ryoga peel the chain-link back to create a big enough opening for everyone to get through, and Yuma takes off to the center of the warehouse grounds.

“How do you know where to go?” Kotori calls.

“I just know!” Yuma says. Her deck box is burning hot, and she wonders if Astral is dueling.

The central building is huge, with a giant metal door that slides shut. Yuma runs around until she finds a keypad. She narrows her eyes at the keypad, and starts pressing at it randomly. “Yoo-hoo, pizza delivery!” She yells.

Her friends catch up to her. “Please tell me that’s not your plan?” Ryoga asks.

“Of course not,” Yuma scoffs. “Now step back.” She takes a pair of rubber gloves from her bag and puts them on, and then she grabs the bolt cutter and plunges it, point-first, into the keypad. Yuma leaps back and covers her head as a small explosion sends bits of metal flying. When the smoke clears, the guts of the keypad are pouring out of a hole in the wall.

“Huh,” says Yuma, “I didn’t think that would actually work.”

Ryoga glares at her. “You are actually crazy, aren’t you?”

Yuma, rubber gloves still on, approaches the smoking hole to check the wires. “I wonder if I can hotwire this shit and open the door…”

“Oh, let me try!” Takashi cries, rushing forward. “I’ve always wanted to try this.”

Yuma gives him a shocked look. “Oh no, I’ve turned you into a delinquent too!”

“It’s for Astral,” Takashi says, taking Yuma’s gloves and putting them on, “It doesn’t count.”

Yuma and Takashi play around with the wires until the doors slide open a third of the way, and they all dash inside.

“See, you couldn’t have done it without us!” Takashi says gleefully.

“What if the doors shut before we leave?” Cathy calls as Yuma races ahead.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!” Yuma yells back. She twists her arm around her back, reaches into a side-pocket of her backpack, and pulls something out. As the group round a corner, two giant robots appear. Yuma shrieks, puts her hands out in front of herself, and one of the robots starts jerking uncontrollably. The other robot looks at Yuma, then turns around and scuttles away.

“What the heck?” Tokunosuke asks as he runs up.

Yuma looks at him. “Um…always carry a taser?” She says, holding up the taser that she used on the first robot.

“How did you…” Ryoga starts, but he throws up his hands. “Never mind. There’s still a robot on the loose, you go ahead and we’ll see if we can keep it away from you.”

Yuma looks over her friends. “If it gets to be too much, do anything you can to get out.” She hands Ryoga her backpack full of delinquent stuff, but she keeps the taser. “I love you guys!” she screams as she races away.

Yuma can’t explain how she knows which way to go, but she hangs a right, down a set of emergency stairs. Alarms wail, and Yuma keeps running until she gets to the basement, and another huge door.

“Fuck,” she hisses. Her bolt cutters are with Ryoga. She rushes to a keypad and slams her fist on it. A password screen pops up. Yuma aims the taser at the keypad and fires. The screen fizzles, a myriad of pictures flash across it, most of them of a little boy with blue hair, and then the screen goes black. Yuma grits her teeth and yanks the taser back. Before Yuma can do anything else, the doors fly open, and a robot scoots out, screaming at the top of its pitch range.

“YOU CRUDE LITTLE GIRL! GET OUT OF HERE!” A robot half the size of Yuma screams.

Yuma hides the taser behind her back. She recognizes the robot that assaulted her this afternoon, but now it looks decidedly less scary.

“DUEL ME NOW!” The robot demands. Appendages pop out from its body, and Yuma yanks the taser out from behind her back and aims it at the soft, unprotected parts of the robot that have just been exposed. The robot lets out a screech and falls, twitching, to the floor.

Yuma drops the taser and races through the still-open doors. “HUNK OF JUNK!” She screams at the robot. She slams her fist on a button she hopes is for the doors, and she’s right. The doors slam shut, and she turns around to find herself in something that looks like it came out of a sci-fi movie.

There’s a goddamn vortex in the middle of the room—a spinning mass of black lightning that is sucking air into it. Yuma gapes at it for a second, then shakes herself and looks around the room for Kite or Astral. She sees a bunch of computers, holoscreens, pointy objects, a hospital table (what is Kite in to?!) and in the middle of the room is…

Yuma’s hand flies to her neck and she grips the key. She definitely still has it, so what is that thing?

‘Astral,’ she thinks desperately, ‘I want to help you.’

There’s a flash of white light and Yuma finds herself standing on a crumbling ledge, facing a huge door that’s covered in chains.

“I’ve been here before,” Yuma blurts.

“You have a chance,” a deep voice says. “A chance to unlock great power, but that power comes with a price. You will have to give up that which is precious to you.”

Joke’s on the voice, Yuma already lost most of what’s precious to her, and this power will help her save one of the last things she considers precious—Astral.

“I’ll give you anything!” Yuma cries, “I just want to help Astral!”

“Then you need Zexal,” the voice says. “It is a force that will grant you the strength to face the coming danger. Do you accept?”

“I already told you, yes!” Yuma snaps. A wind rushes past her and she raises her arms to block it from her eyes. At once she’s back in the lab, staring down the vortex, but now she can hear something besides wind rushing past her ears—a voice, different from before.

“It’s hopeless,” the voice whispers. It’s Astral!

“ASTRAL!!” Yuma screams, tears stinging her eyes.

“Yuma?!” Says Astral’s voice, “Are you there?”

“I’m here!” She cries. “I’m trying to help you!”

“No!” Astral gasps, “Yuma, it’s too dangerous! You need to get yourself out of here!”

“Not without you!” Yuma says. She clutches her key. “I’ve told you before, you’re my friend, one of my best friends! I need you, I’m going to get you back, and I’m going to do it with Zexal!”

Astral pauses for a second. “You…know about Zexal? Do you know what it is?”

“I just heard the word ten seconds ago,” Yuma says. She almost feels like laughing—this is insanity. “It’s a power?”

“Yuma, it is an ancient power from my world,” Astral says. “If we go down this road, there is no going back.”

“Okay, enough with the cryptic bullshit!” Yuma screams. She takes a few steps back, and then she charges at the vortex. “KATTOBINGU!!” She screams as she leaps.

Yuma is enveloped in a red light. She flails, expecting to feel the swoop of her stomach as she freefalls into nothing, but gravity seems to have gone wonky. Yuma soars outward, then to the side, and then the black vortex fades and she finds herself staring at a barren landscape of white sand and deep, deep blue sky. Yuma veers to the right, and she sees a gigantic blimp. This must be the airship that Astral told her about! And there, on the top of the ship…

“ASTRAL!” Yuma screams. She can barely see him, but she can see the bright blue light that suddenly surrounds Astral, and she can hear him shout…

“I build the Overlay network, I overlay myself with Yuma!”

Astral soars upwards. Soon, he and Yuma are face to face and flying up, up, up…

“What’s happening?” Yuma asks.

Astral reaches for her. “It’s Zexal!” He shouts.

Yuma takes Astral’s hand, and the light surrounding their bodies combines. Everything goes white, and then there’s a roaring in Yuma’s ears. When the light and sound fades, she’s staring at Kite, and he’s looking at her in shock. Yuma blinks, and she suddenly becomes aware that she does not feel like herself. She looks down, and she lets out a scream.

“WHAT THE WHAT?!” She yelps, looking down at her hands—her hands which are now coated in white and red armor—and then the rest of her body—also coated in red and white armor—and, and…

Yuma squeaks. WHAT. THE HELL.

“ASTRAL?!” Yuma shouts.

“This is Zexal,” Astral’s voice says in her mind. “This is the power that we have been granted, the power to win this duel. We are one, Yuma.”

“Holy shit,” Yuma breathes. She looks up and she grins at Kite. “I’M GONNA KICK ASS!” She shouts.

Kite gives himself a shake. “Good luck,” he growls, “You only have two hundred life points left.”

That gives Yuma a shock, but she gets over it. “Two hundred is enough to give me a chance,” she tells him.

“Yuma,” Astral’s voice says, “Let me help you. Together, we can draw the exact card we need to win this duel.”

“Wouldn’t be the strangest thing that’s happened today,” Yuma says. Her hand glows with golden light, and she reaches for her deck. “Kattobingu!” She yells again as she draws.

She draws Zexal Weapon, Unicorn Spear. It’s a card she’s never seen before in her life, so she has no idea how it ended up in her deck, but what the hell, right? She laughs. “This is amazing!”

She equips Unicorn Spear to Utopia, and Astral whispers the card’s effects in her ear. But Kite isn’t done with the two of them, and the duel ends in a draw.

When the smoke clears, Yuma is left staring Kite down. She frowns at him. “Why are you doing this?” She asks. “You’ve terrified me for days. You’re an older boy chasing a younger girl until she’s terrified. What does that say about you?”

Kite’s face twists. “I don’t care about you. I want Astral world’s emissary and the Numbers.”

“Why?” Yuma demands.

“His family,” Astral whispers. “He mentioned that he  _needs_  Numbers for his family.”

“What happened to your family?” Yuma asks. She remembers the pictures that flashed across the holoscreen outside the lab. The little boy with blue hair and golden eyes.

“Is it your brother?” Yuma yells, “Is that who you want to help?”

Kite looks half shocked, half pained. Yuma takes a step towards him. “Tell me,” she pleads. She can feel the airship teetering, but she takes another step. “Maybe I can help! I don’t want anyone to suffer, I don’t want anyone to lose their souls for Numbers. Astral can take Numbers without taking souls, maybe he can help you, maybe I can help you.”

Kite leaps away. “There’s nothing anyone can do!” He screams.

Once more, white light flashes before Yuma’s eyes. When she opens them again, she’s back in the lab. Astral is by her side, and the building is shaking something fierce.

“We have to get out of here,” Yuma says.

“There’s no time,” Astral says, his tone urgent. “Yuma, come here.”

“My friends!” Yuma screams.

“Yuma!” Astral screams back. He throws himself at her and she flies to the ground, landing hard. Astral covers her with his body, and with a roar the likes of which Yuma has never heard, the building collapses.

Yuma is sure that she’s as good as dead. She clings to Astral, her eyes shut and her heart pounding, and the seconds feel like hours. When silence falls, Astral moves.

“It’s safe now,” he says gently.

Yuma opens her eyes. It’s dark, but Astral is glowing and she can see that they’re surrounded by rubble, but miraculously unscathed. Astral hovers over her, and he smiles. Yuma reaches up and pokes his cheek. She can touch him.

“How?!” She gasps.

Astral shakes his head. “I have no idea. But I can hear Kotori screaming for you.”

Yuma kicks her legs out, dislodging a bunch of wood, and she kicks and kicks until she breaks through the rubble surrounding her. She launches herself through the space in the debris, and emerges into the cool night air.

“YUMA!” Kotori screams.

Yume wriggles herself out of the hole, and she has help from Ryoga and Kotori as she climbs down the pile of building material. Everyone is shouting at her, but Yuma is looking around.

“Where is that sonuvabitch?” She growls.

Tokunosuke points to the sky and gasps. “Up there!”

They all turn to look. Sure enough, Kite is flying away with his robot-turned-glider attached to his back.

Yuma snorts. “Guess that’s where he got the name Kite.”

Kotori starts to laugh and cry at the same time. “What happened in there?!”

Yuma grins and slings her arms around Kotori’s shoulders, pushing Ryoga away. She leans into Kotori and stage-whispers, “I had a dick.”

Kotori gapes at her. “What?”

Yuma laughs so hard she almost falls over. Cathy rushes to help Kotori hold Yuma up. “It’s true!” Yuma says, “I like, Astral and I did this thing, we like, overlayed, and we turned into something, something called Zexal, and I was a boy! It was only for like five minutes but holy shit, it was so weird. I was wearing these really tight pants and I could feel it! I have no idea how guys walk with that shit, it was horrible I tell you, I am so glad it’s over.”

“Did she hit her head?” Tetsuo mutters.

Ryoga sighs. “No, for some reason I believe her.”

Yuma hoots with laughter. “Help me get home, will ya? I can’t…I can’t walk and laugh at the same time.”


	15. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of forming Zexal and surviving Kite's attack, Yuma and Astral talk about what's next.

Yuma walks right through the front door of her house at 3 AM, covered in dust and rubble, and not caring if someone hears her. But no one hears her, no one is up waiting for her, because as far as Akari and grandma know, she went to bed hours ago and has been sleeping ever since. Yuma locks the front door and goes to the laundry room, where she strips off her dirty clothes and throws them in the wash machine, then grabs a pair of pajamas and her bag and heads to the back of the house where the master bedroom is—her parent’s room. The room has its’ own bathroom, isolated from Akari and grandma’s rooms, so they won’t hear the water running.

A shiver runs down Yuma’s spine as she opens the bedroom door and she feels momentarily lightheaded, like she’s in a place she’s not meant to be. It happens each time she’s come into this room, with the bed neatly made and furniture dusted. Grandma cleans the room weekly, though Yuma has never asked if it’s her way of preparing for her son and daughter-in-law’s return, or if she sees it as grave maintenance.

The feeling passes, and Yuma goes to the bathroom. She keeps the key around her neck as she steps into the shower. The hot water feels heavenly, and she suddenly realizes how achy she feels. So when she’s cleaned up, Yuma plugs the bathtub drain and lets the water keep running. Now she can at least soak in clean water, rather than let the grime sit in the tub with her. She sinks down, wincing as her knees crack and her legs shake. Surviving a building collapse is not fun, the hysteria of what happened with Astral now wearing off and leaving her feeling tired, sore, and confused. Yuma takes hold of the key and squeezes it tightly.

When the water reaches her collarbone, Yuma turns it off. The silence is deafening. Yuma pulls her knees up to her chest and hugs them. She wants to ask Astral to come out of the key and talk to her, but she’s naked. Does she care if he sees her? They’ve now shared a body, and he’s naked all the time, so why should it matter? If she keeps her legs up and pressed tight to her chest, will there be anything to see?

Yuma’s hair floats at the top of the water, and she plays with the ends. Her hair’s gotten so long now, when did she last cut it? Before her parents went missing, that’s for sure. She can use her hair to cover herself further if she wants. Damn, if only she had some bubble bath. She looks down at the tops of her knees. The scratch she got the other day is pink and raw, and the skin on her other knee is distorted from past accidents. She suddenly has a thought—if her parents walked in the door tomorrow, would they recognize her?

Of course they would—parents always recognize their children, and Yuma hasn’t changed that much. Has she?

Would Rio recognize her?

Come to think of it…Yuma’s changed in two years. If her parents are alive, who’s to say they haven’t changed? Do they remember her? Do they look the same at all? Are they here, in this city, and has Yuma walked passed them without knowing it?

Yuma gives her head a shake and the room spins. She closes her eyes and groans. She can’t think about that, she’s got enough to worry about with what happened tonight.

“Are you okay?”

Yuma claps her hands over her mouth and opens her eyes. Astral floats nearby, his eyes shut.

“What are you doing?!” Yuma hisses. “I told you not to come in here!”

“I know, but I was worried, again,” Astral says. His eyes are still closed. “What is it you’re doing?” His voice seems to echo around the room and it makes her head ache.

“I’m taking a bath,” Yuma whispers. “Keep your voice down, will you? My head hurts.”

“What is a bath?” Astral asks, his voice lower.

“I’m sitting naked in hot water,” Yuma tells him. “So keep your eyes shut or turn away.”

Astral turns his back. “What good does sitting in hot water do?”

“It helps my sore legs, and back, and arms, and everything else,” Yuma tells him. “A building just fell on me, you know?”

“I know,” Astral says solemnly. “You could have been killed.”

“Yeah, and I could have lost you, too,” Yuma says. She shivers and hugs her knees again, and lowers her head to rest on them. “When I woke up and you were gone…”

“I’m sorry,” Astral says. “I don’t know how it happened. I didn’t go back in the key on purpose.”

“I know,” Yuma says, automatically. “That’s how I knew something was wrong, because I knew you wouldn’t break your promise to stay. Did Kite force you to go back?”

Astral shrugs. “I can only assume his presence in the key forced it, I doubt Kite knew what would happen. He didn’t even expect to see me.”

Yuma digs her nails into her legs. “What happened to us in the key…did you know it could happen? You’re the one who said that you were going to build the overlay network with me. Which was totally lame, by the way.” She giggles, high and hysterical, and she clamps down on it before she can start crying.

“The words just sort of…came to me,” Astral says slowly. “I knew of Zexal, I knew what it could do, but I didn’t know how. We created our own way to win the duel. Or at least, to prevent a total loss.”

“So we cheated?” Yuma asks.

Astral shrugs once again. With his back turned, she can’t read his face. “I don’t think it’s cheating. We’re dealing with life and death, after all.”

“Can it happen again?”

Astral hums. “You accepted the power, so I assume so. I think it can happen during a life and death situation, should we encounter another one. Hopefully we won’t, but given that Kite is still hunting numbers…”

“For his brother,” Yuma says. She knows how deep family ties run. She can only imagine that something must be wrong with Kite’s brother if Kite says he  _needs_  numbers and is willing to steal souls for them. Yuma sighs. “So what now?”

“I suppose we duel as we always have,” Astral says.

“I’m not talking about that,” Yuma snaps, “We just shared a body, Astral! I could touch you! What does that mean for us?!”

Astral is quiet for a moment. Then, “Can I please turn around, Yuma? I don’t like not looking at your face.”

Yuma sighs and arranges her hair to cover her chest. She keeps her legs close her body. “Yeah go ahead,” she mutters.

Astral turns and kneels on the floor. He rests his elbows on the lip of the bathtub and stares right into Yuma’s eyes. “I had a thought,” he murmurs. “It seems so amazing that you’re able to withstand the dark influence of the Numbers. It’s amazing that the key came to be in your possession. It’s amazing that you were able to unlock the power of Zexal and save me. So amazing that I don’t think it’s coincidence. I wonder if you and I are…are one and the same.”

“How do you mean?” Yuma asks.

“If our souls are connected,” Astral says. “If we are perhaps…”

“Soulmates?” Yuma finishes, her heart in her throat.

Astral nods.

Honestly…Yuma could see it being true. How it would be possible, she doesn’t know, but what other explanation could there be? She’s the only one thus far who has been able to see Astral full-time, she has the key, she can control the Numbers, she can merge with Astral to form one being!

Yuma reaches out and places her hand on Astral’s arm. As she touches warm, soft skin, she yanks her hand back and covers her eyes. It’s too much, and she bursts into tears.

“Yuma what’s wrong?” Astral asks, sounding worried.

Yuma sniffles and peeks at him through her fingers. “I…can you close your eyes? I want to get dressed.”

Astral nods and closes his eyes. Yuma speeds through drying off and getting dressed, and then she whispers, “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

She takes her bag and a towel with her so she can keep drying her hair. She speeds up the stairs, Astral close behind her, and slips into her room. She flops down on her bed and stares at the ceiling, briefly feeling numb until Astral appears over her.

“What happened before?” Astral asks.

Yuma sighs. “It was just…overwhelming. I’m not use to being able to touch you and it was right after you mentioned that we might be soulmates…” She rubs a hand over her face and sits up. “Soulmates, the word, it can have a lot of meanings.” Nervous, she wraps the towel around her hair and twists it tightly. “It can be best friends, someone you can’t live without, someone you love as family, or romantically.”

“Romantically?” Astral echoes.

Yuma nods. “Like…like kiss. Do you know what that is?”

“I have seen it,” Astral says slowly, “On TV. What makes romantic love different from the love of a family or a friend?”

Yuma grabs her phone out of her bag and types that in. “That’s a good question. How to explain it? Okay here we go…platonic—that’s another way to say family or friend love—is not being afraid to fight, but romantic love is about compromise. Platonic love is your roots, romantic love is your future.”

“Roots?” Astral asks. “How so?”

Yuma adjusts the towel around her hair, loosening it a bit, before she scrolls through the website. “Like…it says that it’s knowing that having that person in your life is a given, but romantic love takes planning. I really like that,” Yuma murmurs. She looks up at Astral. “Like how my friends and I don’t need to see each other every day, or talk about our feelings to know what’s going on most of the time. But you and I, we talk about how we feel all the time, and we work to understand each other and come together in the middle. We didn’t get along at first, we had to make adjustments to fit together, but it was a good thing, because we became better people for it.”

“Can friends love each other romantically?” Astral asks.

Yuma puts her phone aside. She thinks about how she and Rio used to tease each other about getting married and how jealous Ryoga would be if they actually did, because his best friend and his sister would be all couple-y. They didn’t mean it, but they shared a bed at sleepovers, they held hands all the time, and they were each other’s first kiss, just because they wanted to know what it was like. Yuma adores Rio, and some part of her will always love Rio, but was it romance?

Maybe if Rio woke up, if they picked up where they left off.

“I ask because of you and Ryoga,” Astral says.

Yuma gasps and chokes on her own spit. “What?!” She wheezes.

“Don’t you love him?” Astral asks. “You speak to him differently. You chased him down and were determined to make him make a different choice about his life, but in the end you let him come to his own decisions in his own time. You look at him differently than how you look at Kotori and Tetsuo. You looked at me the same way today.”

Yuma laughs shakily and smiles at Astral. “You…wow. Um, I didn’t really think about it. Not lately, anyway.”

But looking back…wow. Ryoga wasn’t the first name to jump to her mind but damn, maybe he should have been.

“Do you want to kiss him?” Astral asks.

“I already did,” Yuma blurts. She blushes. “I mean…right before my parents disappeared, like the last sleepover we had, Rio and I kissed because we wanted to know what it felt like. Rio told Ryoga in the morning, he wasn’t with us at night, and he kind of looked a little put-off and he said he couldn’t believe Rio had her first kiss already. So I asked if he wanted to have his first kiss and said I would kiss him and, well…I did.”

Astral smiles. “Do you want to kiss me?”

Yuma feels her cheeks heat up. “Do you want me to?” Yuma fires back.

Astral nods. “You kissed Rio because you wanted to know what it was like. I would like to know that, too.”

 Yuma curls her fingers into her palm. “I can kiss you,” she says, “But it’ll be different than how it was with Rio.”

“Why?” Astral asks.

“Because I feel differently about you than I do Rio.”

Astral shifts on her bed. “Is that…bad?”

“Well, no,” Yuma says. “But it’s complicated. You’re from another planet, I’m sure you…you want to go back there someday. No one else can see you, either, so that complicates things.”

Astral looks away. “Oh. I suppose that does make things difficult, doesn’t it?”

The resignation in his tone makes something in Yuma flip. She sits up and says firmly, “But I never back down from a challenge. We can try this, we can see how it goes.”

Astral looks back at her, and Yuma grins at him. “Okay, supposedly it’s better if you close your eyes.”

Astral closes his eyes and plants his hands on Yuma’s bed. He holds perfectly still, and Yuma laughs. “Give me your hand, silly.”

Astral keeps his eyes closed but holds one hand out. Yuma takes hold of it with both of her hands, and she leans in to kiss Astral. He makes a small sound of surprise as Yuma closes her eyes and presses their lips together, and Yuma can hear him inhale. She keeps it short, she doesn’t think her heart can handle much more at the moment, and when she leans back and opens her eyes, Astral is staring at her in shock.

Yuma giggles. “You look like you’ve been hit by lightning.”

Astral clears his throat. “I think I was.”

“Do you want to try again?” Yuma asks. “It’s okay if you don’t want to.”

Astral looks thoughtful, then he nods. “I want to try again.”

So Yuma leans in and gives Astral the briefest of kisses before he pulls back slightly.

“What do I do?” Astral asks. “Should I just hold still?”

“You know what?” Yuma says, “You kiss me. You know how it’s done now.”

“What if I do it wrong?”

“You can’t kiss wrong,” Yuma tells him. “Just try. You’ll be fine.”

Astral’s cheeks seem to darken, as if he’s blushing. Yuma holds back a laugh and closes her eyes, waiting patiently. Astral does kiss her, and just as she said, he’s fine. Better than fine, in fact.

The two of them go back and forth, kissing each other, for so long that Yuma only realizes how much time has passed when her room begins to lighten.

“Are you tired?” Yuma asks Astral. They’re closer now, knees brushing, hands clasped over them.

“As in sleepy?” Astral asks. “Maybe a little.”

“You could have said so sooner,” Yuma tells him.

Astral shrugs. “But I didn’t.”

“Brat,” Yuma accuses. “Okay, I know it’s Saturday but I doubt my sister will let me sleep the whole day, so let’s get some rest before she comes barging in here.”

“Do you want me to stay?” Astral asks, sounding surprised.

“If you want,” Yuma says as she arranges the sheet over her legs. “I wouldn’t mind.”

So Astral lays down next to her and closes his eyes. The eventful day catches up to Yuma, and she falls asleep quickly.

 

* * *

 

On Saturday, Yuma spends the morning sleeping. She leaves her bed long enough to eat, and Akari checks her over before telling her off for leaving wet clothes in the wash (Yuma’s just glad Akari didn’t ask when she put the clothes in the machine) and tells her that she got a package.

Yuma eats her cereal and takes the package back to her room. Astral is at her window, looking out at the yard. “What’s that?” He asks as Yuma rips open the envelope.

“Dunno,” Yuma says. She tips the envelope’s contents into her lap. A golden, heart-shaped frame falls out, along with a small red gem, and a piece of paper. Yuma unfolds the paper and reads, “See you at the WDC, Kite.”

Her blood runs cold. She and Astral stare at each other in shock.

“WDC,” Yuma says. “World Duel Carnival.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here](http://elitedaily.com/dating/platonic-love-romantic-love/1816206/) is the article Yuma was reading from.
> 
> YOU GOT YOUR KISSES EVERYONE!!!!


	16. Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Kite is inviting Yuma to the carnival, it can only mean that the whole thing has his hands in it, and his hands steal people’s souls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episode 26

Yuma shoves the heart frame, gem, and paper back in the envelope and then stuffs the envelope into a chest in the attic. If Kite is inviting her to the carnival, it can only mean that the whole thing has his hands in it, and his hands steal people’s souls.

“But we need Kite’s numbers eventually,” Astral says. “Wouldn’t it be better to get them in a public event?”

“That’s what he wants me to think,” Yuma says, slamming the lid of the trunk shut. “Oh no, I see what’s happening here. I bet this tournament is a ploy to get Numbers-holders in one place! Well, I’m not falling for it!” She climbs back down from the attic and flops into her bed. “Now I’m still recovering from a robot attack and a building collapse, are you going to come here and cuddle me or do I need to cuddle myself?”

Astral sighs, but doesn’t argue with her. Despite the arrival of the package of tricks, Yuma sleeps most of the rest of the day—Akari checks on her a few times but leaves her mostly alone to recover from the shocking robot assault. She even gives Yuma an advanced allowance because she was able to do an op-ed piece for a magazine about rogue robots.

On Sunday Yuma lounges about the house, doing her homework, texting her friends, and talking to Astral. They ignore the subject of the package in the attic, and Yuma is grateful for that. She wants to hold off on that for as long as she can.

On Monday, all hell breaks loose.

Yuma is rushing to school when suddenly all the holographic billboards and bus station ads, and TV screens go blank, then reappear with fanfare blasting. Everyone stops in their tracks and stares at the nearest screen as Mr. Heartland appears.

“Good day, citizens of our fine city!” Heartland screams.

A few people smile, children squeal, and Yuma thinks about the time she and the gang snuck as close to Heartland tower as they dared and doodled mustaches on pictures of Mr. Heartland.

“You have heard the rumors,” Heartland says, “You’ve seen the fliers, now I’m here to say that it’s time, for the World Duel Carnival, an event of unprecedented size and stature, and it will begin in exactly one week! Registration opens today, and once your registration is confirmed, you will receive your pass to enter the tournament!” Heartland holds up a tiny red gem. “This is a Heart piece, and this,” he holds up a gold heart-shaped frame, “Is your frame. You receive a frame and one heart piece as proof of registration, and you must duel other contestants for their heart pieces to fill in your frame. This will allow you to gain entrance to the finals. But beware, not all pieces may fit together in your frame! Remember, the victor of this duel will receive unlimited access to the innermost part of Heartland City, and I will personally grant them one wish! Space is limited, so register now, now, now!”

Heartland vanishes and the screens all show big, red letters, “WDC,” with confetti falling around them.

People chatter excitedly, and Yuma glowers. Today will be insufferable.

 

Yuma is purposefully late for class, spends lunch time hiding in the bathroom, and at the end of the day when class is dismissed she removes the cotton from her ears and tosses it in the trash.

“Oh, what the—?” Kotori asks, frowning at Yuma, “Is that why you didn’t answer my questions all day?”

“Sorry,” Yuma says, “I just didn’t want to hear about—”

“Yuma!” Tokunosuke cries, running up to her, “Did you register for the Carnival yet?!”

Yuma freezes briefly, and then she grabs her hair and tugs on it. “Uuuuuuuuugh,” she groans, closing her eyes and wishing the ground would swallow her.

“What?” Tokunosuke asks.

“I’m not registering,” Yuma growls.

Kotori, Tokunosuke, Tetsuo, Cathy, and Takashi all gasp and stare at Yuma with open mouths.

“But your grandma gave you permission!” Tetsuo says.

“I don’t need to register,” Yuma admits, keeping her voice low. “Kite sent me a frame and heart piece.” Jaws drop, and Yuma continues, “But I’m not taking part in this tournament at all. If Kite wants me in it, it can’t be for innocent purposes. I swear this whole thing is a trap.”

“Okay wait,” Tetsuo says, recovering from the shock, “Let’s hold off on the conspiracy theories, yeah? Mr. Heartland is the one hosting the tournament.”

“And I trust that man about as much as I trust an angry pit viper,” Yuma says. “He’s a slimy, sneaky, slippery man.”

“What makes you say that?” Cathy asks, sounding surprised. “He made Heartland for sick kids.”

“He said he’d give the winner one wish!” Tokunosuke says.

“He gives me a shivery feeling down my spine every time he opens his mouth,” Yuma says, hugging herself and looking around. “And I bet he’s lying about the wish.”

“Lying to the whole city?” Takashi asks. “That’s a little much.”

“I’m still entering,” Tokunosuke says, grinning. “And I’m wishing for a hundred more wishes if I win.”

Cathy sighs, “I’d wish for the most romantic date with the person of my choosing,” she says dreamily.

“C’mon Yuma,” Takashi says, “What would you wish for?”

That makes Yuma’s heart constrict. Seemingly realizing it, Takashi gasps. “Oh, I’m sorry…”

“No it’s okay,” Yuma says. “I mean, Heartland probably can’t work miracles, on missing and-or unconscious people, right? I don’t know, maybe I’d ask for a lifetime supply of pepper spray.” She sighs, “Look, I know I can’t stop you guys from competing, but you’re not Numbers holders so you should be okay. Just promise me you’ll be careful, okay?”

“We will,” Tokunosuke and Takashi say, as Cathy and Tetsuo nod in agreement.

Yuma turns to Kotori. “And you? Are you dueling?”

Kotori scoffs. “When have I ever?”

Yuma smiles. She knows Kotori likes the game, but only casually. She looks around and says, “You know what? I want to talk to Ryoga about this, ask if he’s going to be part of the circus. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, yeah?”

Yuma waves to her friends, and takes off running.

It takes her an hour to finally track Ryoga down, and when she does, it’s because he nearly runs her over for the umpteenth time. Yuma glowers at him.

“I’m gonna sue you one day,” she vows, and she could go on, but she stops when she gets a look at his face. “What happened?” She demands, her heart in her mouth, “Is Rio okay?!”

Ryoga grips the handles of his bike tightly. “She’s in a coma,” he snarls, “Of course she’s not okay!”

Cars behind Ryoga start honking, and Yuma flips them off. She quickly hops on his bike and wraps her arms around his waist.

“What the?” Ryoga demands.

“Drive,” Yuma says. “Drive until you feel like talking to me about whatever just happened.”

Ryoga growls, then revvs his engine. He pauses, takes his own helmet off and turns around to jam it on Yuma’s head. Yuma closes the clasp and wraps her arms around him once again, and Ryoga takes off. Yuma’s heart is racing, because she saw the pain in Ryoga’s eyes, and she can feel how tense he is. She knows that he lashes out when he’s hurting. If he’s going to do something stupid, she wants to be there for him, but dang it all she doesn’t even have her bag of tricks with her! Oh well, at least she’s wearing pants so she doesn’t have to worry about flashing people with the ridiculous uniform skirt.

Ryoga ends up driving to the long-term care facility where Rio is. He parks haphazardly, but doesn’t get off his bike. Yuma stares at the building with dread in her stomach. She hasn’t been here since Rio was checked in, she could never bear it.

“Are we going in?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga sighs, and he seems to deflate a bit. “No. Maybe. I don’t know if I can face her right now.”

Yuma takes the helmet off. Ryoga gets off the bike and stands facing away from Yuma, and Yuma stays seated on the bike, quiet and waiting for Ryoga to talk. After a minute, Ryoga reaches into his pocket and takes out a card and…

“No!” Yuma gasps, staring at the golden frame and heart piece. “Oh Ryoga, Kite sent me one on Saturday! Did he do this, too?!”

“No,” Ryoga says, slipping the frame back in his pocket. “A loser named IV did.” He closes his eyes. “How much do you know about my disqualification?”

“Not much,” Yuma admits. “I heard you cheated and I stopped looking into it, because I knew…or wanted to believe that you would never cheat.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Ryoga says, clenching his fist. “I was in the waiting room and I heard a clatter I turned and a deck had fallen—my opponents deck. I approached, and I turned away, but I saw a few cards. During the duel I had a feeling that I could win because of what I had seen, but CCTV footage showed me viewing the cards. IV’s cards. And IV just found me, he threw this card at me, one of the cards I had seen, and told me that he set me up. He left his deck in a place he knew it would fall, and he knew I would be disqualified and ruined.” Ryoga growls. “And he implied that Rio’s accident wasn’t an accident.”

“Not an accident?” Yuma parrots. “But how would he…unless he…” Yuma gasps. She jumps to her feet. “WHERE IS HE?!” She screams.

Ryoga whirls on her. “If I knew that do you think I would be standing here right now?!” He screams back. “He said to meet him the finals! I have no proof he even did anything! I don’t carry a camera around and record everything someone says to me!! I want him punished!!”

Yuma covers her face. “I know,” she whispers. She lowers her hands. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”

Ryoga deflates again. “I do know that, I’m sorry I yelled I just…I’m so mad.”

Yuma steps forward and hugs Ryoga. At first he goes rigid, but after a second he awkwardly hugs her back. Yuma snorts. “Oh hug me properly, you act like we didn’t all three of us bathe together when we were kids.”

Ryoga sighs and gives Yuma a proper hug. Yuma rests her forehead on Ryoga’s shoulder. “Ryoga, you point him out to me and I’ll go after him.”

“Rio wouldn’t want that,” Ryoga sighs. “She’d want me to, I don’t know, make him out himself during the Carnival so everyone knows what he did.”

“Oh please,” Yuma snorts, not lifting her head, “She could be pretty vindictive.”

That does get Ryoga to laugh. He leans back and looks down at Yuma. “Do you want to come see her with me?”

“I’ll cry,” Yuma says automatically.

“I’ll kill you if you cry,” Ryoga fires back. “Besides, Astral hasn’t met her, has he?”

Yuma’s heart twists. “No, I…I guess not.” She laughs. “My best friend hasn’t met my boyfriend.”

Ryoga looks surprised. “Boyfriend?”

Yuma rubs the back of her neck. “Yeah, um…after we shared a body, Astral and I talked. I can touch him now, by the way. Anyway we think we might be soulmates. We’re positive, actually. The fact that we came together like that…anyway we talked about kissing and then we did it. Kissed. A lot of kissing. I haven’t even told Kotori and them yet, I was so busy thinking about the stupid carnival today!”

“Yuma,” Ryoga says, putting his hands on her shoulders, “Deep breath.”

Yuma inhales shakily.

Ryoga smiles. “Congrats. I can tell Astral means a lot to you.”

Yuma smiles and she feels tears sting her eyes. She looks up and blinks rapidly, trying to hold them back. “It’s times like this that I really miss Rio, and my parents. And with Kite inviting me to the Carnival I was so sure I didn’t want to participate, because I’m sure it’s a trap.”

“Most likely,” Ryoga agrees.

“But I can’t let you face IV alone!” Yuma says. “Especially not if he hurt Rio, because in that case I can’t let you have all the pleasure of destroying him!”

Ryoga actually laughs. “You’ll fall into Kite’s plans for me and Rio, huh?”

“Aw, fuck Kite,” Yuma says, waving her hand. “You guys are way more important.”

Ryoga rolls his eyes. “Is Astral even here, by the way?”

“Oh right,” Yuma says. She holds on to the Key. “Astral? Can you come out, please?”

“How does he come out?” Ryoga asks. “Is it like Aladdin? Is there smoke? Does he fade in?”

“No,” Yuma says, smiling at Astral where he’s appeared over Ryoga’s shoulder. “He just shows up.”

Ryoga sees her face and her line of sight. “Is he behind me?”

“Yup,” Yuma says.

Ryoga looks around, but it’s clear he doesn’t see anything.

Astral floats low to the ground, eye-level with Yuma, and she asks, “Did you hear all that?”

“Hard not to,” Astral says. “My home is right under your mouth, after all.”

“So, what do you say?” Yuma asks, “Do you want to meet Rio?”

Astral positively lights up. “I would be honored.”

 

* * *

 

Rio’s not as bandaged as she was last time Yuma saw her—she just has bandages covering her eyes, now. The shades are kept pulled in her room so her skin doesn’t get exposed to direct sunlight, but it means that she needs more vitamins to keep her healthy. Ryoga tells Yuma and Astral all about the doctors who said that Rio was lucky, lucky that the skin grafts took so nicely on her arms, lucky that time and constant treatment healed the burns on her face, lucky that she was taken to a good hospital quickly and major infections were avoided.

“What about her eyes?” Yuma asks and she strokes Rio’s hair. It had been shaved when she was brought to the hospital, but it’s nearly grown back to its original length now.

Ryoga shakes his head. “That we won’t really know more about until she wakes up. There was damage, and she had laser surgery. The doctors say she should be able to see just fine, but she’ll probably need tinted glasses when she’s outside.”

“So much surgery,” Yuma murmurs. “Poor Rio. She must have been in so much pain.”

“It’s why I’m kind of…glad,” Ryoga says. “In a way, she’s lucky she’s in a coma. She didn’t have to be awake for the grafts. I spoke to people in the burn unit, they said that grafts can be painful and frightening. I watched her face the whole time and she never showed any reaction. I don’t think she felt a thing.” He pauses. “I hope she didn’t feel a thing.”

Yuma wipes tears from her cheeks and clears her throat. “Rio, I’m dating a spirit from another world. He’s a boy, or at least, he identifies as one, and we kissed last night. Nothing like kissing you, it was actually a lot better. Oh, and I’m being chased by a guy who can steal souls, apparently. There’s these things called Numbers, I should probably start there.”

Yuma talks to Rio for an hour. Astral hovers behind Yuma, hands on her shoulders for comfort. Yuma combs and braids Rio’s hair, then she trims Rio’s fingernails and toenails (which she pretends to be grossed out over), and when Yuma finishes talking, she promises to bring a bottle of nail polish next time she visits.

“And here’s something else,” Yuma says. She looks at Ryoga, who’s been watching her the whole time from the other side of Rio’s bed. “You want to tell her?”

Ryoga nods and takes Rio’s hand. “Sis, I met the guy I dueled in the ill-fated tournament again. The loser named ‘Four,’ who spells his name in roman numerals. He implied that the thing that put you here wasn’t an accident. I’m entering another tournament, or at least I hope I am, and I’m going to face him and get answers for this.”

Yuma takes Rio’s other hand. “He really spells his name I-V?” Ryoga nods and she rolls her eyes. “Well anyway, we’re going to get him for you, Rio. If it’s true and this wasn’t an accident, and he knows something about it, we’ll make him pay.”

“Yuma,” Astral says firmly, “Dueling should not be about revenge.”

“This isn’t about revenge!” Yuma cries, “It’s about justice! Rio’s been lying in this bed for two years! You heard about all the surgeries and procedures she had to go through, and it’s not done. She…she needs vitamins pumped right into her blood, she gets her food through a tube in her stomach!” Yuma takes Rio’s arm and holds it up. “Humans need to move to keep up their muscle mass. People have to come in here every day and move Rio’s body for her so her muscles don’t completely deteriorate! If they didn’t she would be skin and bones by now, and even with all their work, when she wakes up she’s going to needs weeks of—”

“Months,” Ryoga says quietly.

“Months!” Yuma corrects, “Of physical therapy so she can move like a human being again!” Tears sting her eyes once more. “If someone did this on purpose then they need to answer for it. Rio didn’t do anything wrong, no human deserves this.”

There’s a loud sob. Yuma is momentarily confused—it wasn’t her, it wasn’t Astral. She turns. Ryoga’s hands are pressed to his mouth and his head is down.

Yuma rushes to the other side of the bed. She hugs Ryoga tightly, and he buries his face in her shoulder. Yuma fights back her own tears as she rubs Ryoga’s back. He’s shaking, but that one sob remains the only sound he makes. Somehow it’s worse. Yuma wishes he would scream, because she would scream with him and they could yell out everything they feel. The silence means that the sadness has overwhelmed Ryoga and robbed him of his words. It happened to Yuma frequently after her parents vanished. She would cry so hard that she couldn’t make a sound, so hard that she couldn’t take in air, and couldn’t call for help when she couldn’t breathe. Yuma remembers being rushed to the hospital a few times after Akai or grandma found her unconscious after these fits.

But Ryoga doesn’t pass out. He clings to Yuma, but he manages to breathe. When he lifts his head, Yuma wipes the tears from his cheeks.

Ryoga croaks, “You don’t…” He stops, clears his throat, and starts again. “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought those exact same things. For so long all I could say was that it wasn’t fair. After a while it just started sounding like an excuse.”

“It isn’t fair,” Yuma says fiercely. “And we’re going to tell the world about it.”

But visiting hours are nearly over. The two of them kiss Rio’s forehead, and they walk out with their shoulders brushing. Ryoga gives Yuma a ride home, where she walks in with her head lowered. She turns down dinner, only saying that she’d gone to see Rio, and heads right to the attic.

“You love Ryoga,” Astral says as Yuma opens a trunk.

“I do,” Yuma agrees. She rummages for the envelope Kite sent her. “I love Rio, too.”

“Why didn’t you kiss him?” Astral asks.

Yuma finds the envelope. “You don’t have to kiss everyone you love,” she explains.

“But you wanted to,” Astral says.

Yuma bites her lip. Astral sits next to her, and Yuma leans over to kiss him. It sends her heart racing and she feels happy, which is a relief after the afternoon’s rollercoaster. Yuma sighs and leans back. “I have you,” She says. “That’s all I need.”

Astral looks confused. “How? You said it yourself, I’m not from this planet. What if I have to leave someday?”

“That was before I really realized what a strong connection we have, you’ll come back,” Yuma says confidently. “You’ll come see me.”

“So you’ll love only me, in this way, for the rest of your life?” Astral asks.

“Most people love only one person for their lives,” Yuma says.

Astral frowns. “That doesn’t seem fair. People should receive all the love they’re entitled to. Love is a beautiful thing. Why cut yourself off from it just because you love one person?”

Yuma has to admit, she’s blown away. “Well, that’s…how monogamy and marriage work,” she says.

“Monogamy?” Astral echoes.

“It means being married and having an intimate relationship with one person,” Yuma explains.

Astral frowns. “It sounds very backwards. I don’t think it’s like that where I come from. What’s not-monogamy called?”

“Polygamy,” Yuma says.

“You should try that,” Astral tells her. “If you love Ryoga, you should tell him. If he loves you back, you should let him.”

Yuma has to laugh. “Oh Astral, it’s just not that simple. Polygamy is frowned upon in this society, in most societies. Sometimes it’s illegal.”

“Why?” Astral asks, aghast. “It’s love! If no one is hurt, what’s wrong with it?”

He seems genuinely upset, and Yuma hugs him. “Shh, don’t get excited over it,” she tells him, patting his head. “It’s not our problem to fix. At least, not before we find out what really happened to Rio, collect all the Numbers, and find out what Kite’s role in all this is and hand his butt to him.” Yuma frowns. “Not necessarily in that order. Oh and we need to add something about Mr. Heartland to that list because I swear that man is up to no good.”

That gets Astral to chuckle. “Okay, should be easy, right?”

Yuma kisses Astral’s cheek. “Totally.”


	17. Carnival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of the World Duel Carnival is underway, and Yuma has a lot of crap to put up with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my rewrite of episodes 27-30

Yuma scowls as Mr. Heartland presses a button on a comically large remote, and the confetti canons behind him explode, raining a rainbow down on the spectators. People all around are smiling and cheering, but it’s hard for Yuma to be happy now that she knows someone here probably caused Rio to be burned. The WDC is officially open, and Kite is nowhere to be seen. Neither is Ryoga, and Yuma can only hope that he’s not going to be too mean to whoever he faces. Yuma filled all her friends in on what Ryoga told her, and she told them about her and Astral, but not what Astral said about her and Ryoga. They were more interested in her and Astral than Rio, but they don’t know Rio so Yuma can hardly blame them.

Tokunosuke chatters excitedly about how many duels he’ll win and how he’ll have so many heart pieces he could make three hearts. Tetsuo scolds him for bragging, Takashi rolls his eyes, and Cathy giggles.

Kotori links her arm with Yuma’s. “So, where should we go?” She asks.

Yuma is about to answer, but she sees something flying towards them. She unhooks herself from Kotori and catches the thing hurtling at them—a ball, inexplicably covered in cards.

Yuma’s anger flares. “WHO BELONGS TO THIS?!” She bellows.

Several people back away, but a smug looking boy saunters over. “That’s mine,” he says, and he looks like he wants to say more, but Yuma cuts him off.

“The hell is your problem?!” She demands, chucking the ball that the boy’s head. He bats it away, but Yuma stalks over to him and gets in his face. “You almost hurt me and my friend over there,” she says, pointing at Kotori. “What would you have done if you gave her a black eye? Or if you broke my nose?! Don’t you know it’s rude to throw things into crowds? I have half a mind to report you to the police for attempted assault!”

The boy scowls. “Will you calm down? It’s just a soccer ball, I was using it to find my first opponent and I found you.”

“So you kicked it at me on purpose?!” Yuma screeches. “Why I oughta—”

“Easy, girl!” Tetsuo cries, running over and taking hold of Yuma’s shoulders. “He’s just a dumb kid.”

The boy’s eye twitches. “Dumb kid?! You wanna duel me, you oaf?!”

“OYE!” Yuma and Tetsuo shout. Tetsuo releases Yuma, and she jabs her finger at the kid. “Nah boy, you’re dueling me!”

“Fine,” the boy says with a sneer. “I’ll enjoy taking your heart piece.”

The two of them back away from each other and turn on their duel disks. The AR field engages, and the boy’s name flashes up on a screen above his head— Kakeru Kunitachi.

“Where have I heard that name before?” Yuma hears Takashi mutter.

Astral appears beside Yuma. “Be careful,” he warns, “You’re angry, don’t let it control you.”

“Hmph,” Yuma says. She eyes Kakeru. “Since you almost maimed me, I’m going first.” She sets Gogogo Golem face down in defense mode.

“Smart,” Astral says. “I see you’ve decided not to be quite so reckless with this duel.”

Yuma holds her cards in front of her face as Kakeru draws. “I’m always reckless,” she mutters, “I’ve just gotten better accustomed to this deck.”

Of course, Kakeru plays a field spell that flips her card face up, turns the duel field into a soccer stadium, and makes Yuma’s monsters don tacky soccer uniforms.

“Crimes against fashion,” Yuma says, rolling her eyes.

Of course, that’s not all the field does. Yuma plays smart, but Kakeru’s field spell keeps turning things in his favor, and Yuma’s temper, already short, is getting the better of her as Kakeru taunts her and trash talks her deck. Yuma is about to finally tell the rude little boy off when she’s beaten to it by two spectators, a couple of guys who make Kakeru’s face go pale.

“Oh!” Takashi cries, “That’s where I know his name! His brothers are soccer stars! Kakeru used to be a soccer star, too.”

Kakeru’s eye twitches. “What’re you two doing here?” He growls. “I don’t need you interfering with my life.”

Yuma calls to Kakeru, “If you’re a soccer star then what are you doing here? Isn’t it soccer season or whatever?”

“I quit soccer!” Kakeru shouts. “I got sick of my brothers trying to tell me what to do so I gave it up!”

Yuma frowns. “No you didn’t.”

“Excuse me?!” Kakeru cries, “Don’t tell me what I did and didn’t do!”

“I’m just calling it like I see it!” Yuma says. “You walk around with a soccer ball and kick it at people, you wear a soccer uniform, you play a soccer field spell that turns the duel field into a soccer stadium and makes monsters wear soccer uniforms, your attacks are based on soccer plays, and you say you gave up the sport? It looks to me like you’re just looking for ways to warp soccer into what you think it ought to be, rather than what it actually is.”

“Oh?” Kakeru asks. “And what do you think soccer is?”

“A team sport,” Yuma says, “And one you can’t handle because you’re selfish, and want everything to be all about you. You can’t stand sharing the ball with others, can you?”

“So what?” Kakeru scoffs, “I don’t need team efforts, I can count on myself.”

“Breathing is a team effort,” Yuma says scathingly. “Trees cleans the air that you breathe in, and your lungs transport oxygen to the organs in your body via your bloodstream. That’s a system of different parts coming together to complete a task. You gonna stop breathing because you hate teamwork?”

Kakeru looks dumbfounded, and Yuma takes advantage of his confusion to play a combo which tilts the scales in her favor. She finally gets to launch a decent attack at Kakeru, and as his life points drop she calls, “That’s the difference between you and me! I’m not afraid to lean on others when I know I can’t do things by myself! I know that my monsters need to work together if we’re going to win!”

“We?” Kakeru echoes. “Who’s we?”

“Me and my monsters, duh!” Yuma says. “Watch, I’ll show you!”

Astral laughs. “Indeed, Yuma! Let’s do this and win your first heart piece!”

 _“Our_  first heart piece,” Yuma corrects under her breath.

She does win, but it’s close, and as the AR field deactivates, Yuma rushes across the now-empty space to help Kakeru to his feet. She’s surprised to find him laughing.

“Did you hit your head?” She asks him as she holds out her hand.

“No,” Kakeru says, taking Yuma’s hand. She hauls him up and he explains, “It’s been a while since I got so wrapped up in a game.”

“You’re a pretty good duelist,” Yuma says. “I’m sure you could be a great soccer player if you channel that energy back into it, and learn to respect your teammates.”

“We agree,” one of Kakeru’s brothers says. The both of them walk over and pat their brother on the back.

“I know we were hard on you,” the other brother says, “But you were pretty disrespectful to your team.”

Kakeru looks appropriately sorry. “Yeah, I see that now.”

“We would love to have you back on the team,” his brother says.

Kakeru smiles. He reaches into his pocket and holds out a glittering red gem to Yuma.

She accepts it with a smile of her own. “Good luck with everything,” she says sincerely.

Kakeru leaves with his brothers, and Yuma’s friends rush to her side.

“Now we really need to find opponents of our own,” Tokunosuke says, “Yuma’s already got her second heart piece!”

Yuma tucks the gem into her pocket alongside her frame. Two pieces down, three to go. Assuming she gets pieces that all fit together.

 

* * *

 

“We really shouldn’t be here,” Kotori whimpers.

“This is important!” Yuma says, shading her eyes against the sun as she looks up.

Astral doesn’t know what they’re doing in this place, Yuma said they were looking for something but he missed what that something was. It’s okay though, this is easily the most interesting human establishment he’s been to, aside from Yuma’s house. He’s seen skyscrapers, but he’s never seen them as they were being built. There’s a crash and Yuma screams, but she does that all the time so Astral can’t really say he’s bothered.

Astral follows the beams of metal, inspecting where they intersect. What holds them together? It can’t merely be these little hexagonal shapes, can it? He looks down, wanting to ask Yuma, but she’s now talking to a boy Astral has never seen before. He goes a little higher, to where parts of the building are even less developed. There are hulking tools placed on wooden bridges, deadly looking things. Astral reaches out to touch them, and of course his hand passes right through them. Sometimes he really dislikes that he’s no more than a wraith on this world. He knows what it means when something rough or smooth, warm or cold, hard or soft, so he can only assume that he was able to touch things at some point, probably on Astral world.

Yuma lets out a hoot and Astral looks down. Oh, she’s dueling now. She’s smiling, which is nice to see. Lately Yuma’s been so upset that not even dueling could lift her spirits; everything just seemed to remind her of Rio. And after seeing Rio, lying in that bed, and hearing about what she goes through, Astral admits that Yuma has reason to be upset. Still, he’s regretted not being able to cheer her up.

Astral floats above the duel field and watches. Yuma doesn’t seem to need help with this one. It’s nice to see her have more confidence in herself. She knows her deck, how to use every card in a way that will support her next move. Astral grins as he watches Yuma win. She looks so happy, but her opponent is another story.

Astral floats down in time to hear the kid gripe, “How did I lose to such weak monsters?”

Yuma frowns. “Size doesn’t always mean strength.” She looks around and points to a beam. “Look at those screws! Those little things hold huge beams together, and they need to be just as high quality as the rest of the building material, if not more.” She grins at the boy. “Never underestimate things that don’t look strong.”

The boy smiles. “So, what were you guys doing here anyway?”

“Looking for some joker who threatened my friend,” Yuma growls, her scowl back. “I heard he likes to hang around abandoned buildings, but today was not my lucky day.”

Astral sighs. Grumpy Yuma is back.

 

* * *

 

Yuma grabs Kotori and knocks her aside as a fireball blasts a hole into the sidewalk near them.

“What the heck was up with that?” Yuma gasps, gaping at the hole. She’s not the only one, nearby people are screaming.

“That was real!” Kotori cries.

A girl zooms over on a goddamn pink rocket and leaps off, screaming, “I’m looking for Tsukumo Yuma!”

Yuma gets to her feet. “You’re looking at her, bitch,” she snarls.

The girl stares at Yuma, blinks, and says, “Are you messing with me? I’ll blow you away!”

Yuma stalks over and grabs the girl by her collar. She hauls the girl close and gets in her face. “Do I look like I’m in a joking mood?” Yuma asks her. “I’ve had just about enough near-death experiences.”

The girl looks appropriately frightened. Kotori runs over and puts her hand on Yuma’s arm. “Wait, Yuma, I know her! That’s Anna, she was in my class two years ago.”

Yuma releases Anna’s collar, and Anna points at Yuma. “You can’t be Yuma!” She cries, “Tsukumo Yuma is a boy I had a crush on!”

“Well I’ve always been a girl,” Yuma says, crossing her arms, “And I’m a year older than Kotori and wasn’t in her class two years ago.”

“Oh,” Anna squeaks.

“Are you thinking of Yuya Tsukune?” Kotori asks.

Anna gasps. “Oh, I think I was.”

“What the hell did he do to you?” Yuma asks Anna.

Anna stomps her foot. “He never met me on the day I was going to confess to him! I’ll never forgive him for breaking my heart!”

Kotori frowns. “Weren’t you like, really mean to Yuya? You bullied him all the time. You made him cry.”

“You made him cry?!” Yuma demands, “And you wonder why he didn’t meet you? Gee, maybe it’s because you were horrible to him. Now you want to what, blow him up? Did you maybe consider apologizing to this poor kid?”

Anna looks at her feet. “I…didn’t,” she admits.

Yuma grabs Kotori’s hand. “Well start there! And don’t go blowing holes in the sidewalk, if someone in a wheelchair comes by, now they need to go in the street to get around this hole!”

Anna nods sheepishly, and Yuma and Kotori walk away. “And people call me vindictive,” Yuma mutters.

 

* * *

 

Yuma empties her pockets and counts the change. She sighs, “I don’t think this is enough for lunch, not in this city.”

Kotori pouts. “Why doesn’t this part of Heartland have any food carts?”

Yuma sits back and rubs her stomach. “If it weren’t so hot I would have carried some food with me.”

“Oh? You gals got nothin’ to eat?” A deep voice asks.

Yuma and Kotori look around. A man is standing behind them, carrying a large basket on his back. He reaches into the basket and pulls out a handful of vegetables. He holds them out. “I grew these myself!” he says proudly. “Feel like a healthy snack?”

Kotori looks delighted, but Yuma holds back. “I’m not supposed to take food from strangers,” she says.

The man chuckles. “Aye, that’s good advice.” He plucks a carrot from the bundle of vegetables in his hand and takes a bite. “It’s perfectly safe,” he says.

So Yuma and Kotori thank the man and each take a cucumber.

“Mm!” Kotori says. “They’re really good!”

“They are!” Yuma agrees.

“Did you grow these?” Kotori asks.

The man blushes and nods. “I did. My name is Housaku Yasai, and I’m a vegetable farmer! I grow all vegetables, but tomatoes are my favorite!” His face lights up. “If I win the Duel Carnival, I’m going to use my wish to turn this city into a tomato paradise!”

Yuma almost chokes. “T-tomato?” She sputters.

“Indeed!” Yasai cries. “And would you girls like to be mascots at the park? You can be tomato girls!”

Kotori squeaks. Yuma holds her stomach once more.

“No thank you,” She groans, “I can’t stand tomatoes.”

Yasai looks crestfallen. “Can’t stand tomatoes?! But they’re amazing!”

“Not for me!” Yuma cries. “I can’t eat them!”

“Can’t, or won’t?” Yasai asks. “I challenge you to a duel, with my special Basket Death Match!”

Yuma blinks at him. “What?”

“Basket Death Match?” A man’s voice calls. Kotori, Yuma, and Yasai look up. A man is standing on a light post (how extra) looking down at them. “Yasai, are you behind the duelists we’ve found with veggies stuffed in their mouths?”

Yasai nods and gestures to his basket. “Before my opponent attacks me, they must draw a vegetable from this basket and eat it! Only then can they attack!”

“WHAT?!” Yuma shrieks. “That’s total unfair! You don’t tell them what’s in the basket?!”

“It’s vegetables,” Yasai says.

“Including tomatoes?” Yuma asks scathingly.

“You have something against vegetables?” The man asks Yuma. “As a referee, I approve of this rule.”

“Then you’re a lousy referee!” Yuma yells. “What if someone draws a vegetable that they’re allergic or intolerant to, like me?!”

“Allergic to a vegetable?” Another voice asks. Everyone turns to see a woman standing on a lamp post. The woman frowns at Yuma. “Explain.”

Yuma folds her arms. “I have an intolerance to tomatoes.”

“That sounds fake,” the man on the lamp says.

“Quit interrupting me!” Yuma screams. “If you did a little research, you would know that tomatoes are one of the most acidic vegetables!” Yuma frowns at Yasai. “As a grower of vegetables, you should know that, too! My stomach can’t take the acidity of tomatoes, especially not if I eat just straight tomatoes. I have to eat them with other things, or take medication to keep me from getting acid reflux.”

“But you eat pizza,” Kotori says.

Yuma turns to her. “Well, pizza isn’t just tomatoes, even the tomato sauce isn’t just tomatoes. And I only eat one slice, with plenty of water, and I take medication before or after I eat it. Haven’t you seen me swallowing the pills?”

Kotori’s eyes light up. “Oh you do! Is that why that one time we had a pizza party at school, you didn’t eat anything?”

Yuma nods. “That’s right, because I don’t generally carry the medication around with me, unless I know ahead of time I’ll be eating tomatoes, or I know I can dilute it by eating something else right away.” She turns back to Yasai. “I haven’t eaten anything besides that cucumber since seven this morning, and I don’t have my medication. So no, I can’t go eating straight tomatoes.” She nods at the basket Yasai was going to give her. “What’s in the bag?”

“Tomatoes,” Yasai admits. “Bred with other vegetables, but…mostly tomato.”

“Yasai,” the woman on the lamp post calls, “Is a tomato sensitivity something you were aware of?”

The man rubs the back of his neck. “Aye, I…suppose it was.”

Yuma sighs and rubs her head. “Loving tomatoes is one thing, but you have to enjoy everything, even healthy vegetables, in moderation. If a person eats nothing but carrots, the beta-carotene can turn their skin yellow or orange. A tomato city would be terrible for someone with acid sensitivity, why not wish for a vegetable city so people can enjoy vegetables from around the world?”

Yasai lowers his head. “I suppose I was so wrapped up in the idea…”

“You lost all your senses?” Yuma asks. “That’s so typical.” She winks at Kotori, who holds back a giggle. Yuma looks back at Yasai. “I’ll still duel you, as long as you promise not to make me sick.”

“I can do that,” Yasai promises.

Yuma wins the duel, but Yasai’s tomato deck gives her acid reflux by proxy (not really, but dang does it feel like it). Yuma gets a heart piece from Yasai, it’s not the end for the other duelist as he still has several more heart pieces. They part ways, wishing each other luck, and Yuma decides it’s time for her and Kotori to see what her grandma’s got cooking up.


	18. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie whirls around. Yuma stalks up to him and jabs her finger in his chest. “I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you need to ask my sister out on a date!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go with my rewrite of episodes 31-32.

“Anyone you face next will have already won the first round,” Astral reminds Yuma as they walk around Heartland, “So you’ll need to really bring your a-game.”

“A-game?” Yuma parrots, “Where did you learn that phrase?”

Kotori looks around and points. “Hey, looks like a duel over there.”

There’s a huge crowd in a small grassy area ahead, so Yuma and Kotori head that way. Yuma grabs Kotori’s hand and pulls her along as she elbows her way through the crowd. Somehow, she’s not surprised that she’s found Ryoga. He defeats his opponent, and the screen above his head shows that he still has all his life points.

“Dang,” Yuma says as the crowd applauds for Ryoga. She walks up to him and socks him in the shoulder. “Bastard, you haven’t called me!”

Ryoga frowns at Yuma. “I’ve been kinda busy.”

“I texted you!” Yuma scolds. “Can’t you be bothered to text? How many heart pieces have you got?”

“Not enough,” Ryoga answers. “I need to focus on finding IV, and I don’t want you getting involved.”

“Then why did you tell me?” Yuma asks. “You had to know I would want to help you if Rio was involved.”

Ryoga shakes his head. “Let’s just get heart pieces on our own, okay?” He turns and walks away, leaving Yuma fuming.

“Damn emo boy,” Yuma growls.

“IV?” Kotori asks, “Is that the guy you told us caused Rio’s injuries?”

“That’s what it looks like,” Yuma says. “Weird name, isn’t it?”

Kotori is about to answer, but Yuma’s phone rings loudly. Yuma sighs and answers it—it’s Akari. “What is it?” Yuma whines, “You just said I could stay out ‘til 10.”

“I need you to do something for me,” Akari says shortly.

“What do I look like, your errand girl?” Yuma asks, “I’m busy, can’t you do it yourself?”

“I’m busy, too!” Akari snaps. “Look I need you to find this guy for me.” A picture flashes on the screen. “He should be right in Heartland square, just keep him there until I show up, got it?”

Yuma squints at the picture. The guy looks familiar…she gasps, “What a minute!! Isn’t that guy dad’s former intern? The one you had that huge crush on?!”

Akari screeches, “Mind your own business!”

“You just made it my business!” Yuma screams back.

“Just find him!” Akari orders, and then she ends the call.

Yuma smirks. “Oh I’ll find him alright!” She turns to Kotori. “You wanna help me set my sister up?”

“Set her up?” Kotori asks.

“You got it!” Yuma cries, “Let’s go!”

It takes all of ten minutes for Yuma and Kotori to find the guy in question, and Yuma charges right up to the guy and plops down on the bench where he’s sitting.

“Are you single?” She asks.

The guy stares at her open-mouthed. “Huh?”

Yuma grins. “I’m asking for my sister. Tsukumo Akari, remember her?”

The man laughs. “Oh, then you must be Yuma. Yes, I remember Akari.”

“So are you single?” Yuma asks.

The guy chuckles. “Kid, you’re adorable. But I don’t think Akari cares for me.”

“You’re not answering my questions,” Yuma says. “What’s your name by the way?”

“Charlie,” The guy answers. “And I’m out here to test my luck, but maybe not against Akari.”

“Why not?” Yuma asks. “You’d be lucky to have her.”

Charlie grins and takes a card from his jacket. He stares at it wistfully, and Yuma is about to ask what kind of card it is when suddenly someone shouts out.

“You! Guy with the card!”

Yuma, Charlie, and Kotori look over to see a guy who looks like he spent way too much time in the gym. The guy points at Charlie. “I see you’re a duelist! Let’s go, put up your heart pieces!”

“I don’t have any,” Charlie mutters, but in a louder tone he says, “Very well, let’s duel.”

“What?” Yuma cries, “What if you lose and have nothing to give him?”

“I won’t be losing,” Charlie says.

And in a stunning battle, he doesn’t lose. He wins in only one turn, beating astronomical odds, and simultaneously reveals that he possesses a Numbers card.

Just as Yuma is about to congratulate Charlie, there’s the sound of a helicopter overhead and a spotlight falls on Charlie, nearly blinding Yuma in the process. As she shuts her eyes against the light, she hears Charlie bragging about not being easy to catch. Kotori screams and knocks Yuma to the ground, and there’s a sound like an explosion. Yuma blinks her eyes open—a huge sign has fallen, narrowly avoiding crushing Charlie. The ground is littered with cards, seemingly dropped by duelists who were fleeing the falling sign, and the wind from the helicopter above whips the cards into a vortex. Yuma spots a few of her cards scattered in front of her, and she grabs for them, but one gets away—it’s a Numbers card. Yuma shrieks, scrambles to her feet, and snatches at the card, but Charlie snags it.

“Say sorry to your sister for me,” Charlie calls with a salute.

“Oye! Give that back!” Yuma screams. She tries to chase Charlie, but the helicopter spotlight blinds her once more. When she next is able to see, Akari nearly mows her down with their dad’s motorcycle.

“I’M GOING TO GET A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY ON MYSELF!” Yuma screeches.

“Where’s Charlie?” Akari asks.

“He ran off!” Yuma says. “Why’s he being chased by police?”

Akari sighs and clenches her fist. “He stole the world’s luckiest card from a museum display.”

“So is this the same intern you had a massive crush on or not?” Yuma demands.

“What would give you that idea?” Akari asks. “You were like, eight when dad was taking on interns.”

“Uh, I read it in your diary,” Yuma says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Akari shrieks, “What the heck, Yuma?!”

“Don’t worry,” Yuma says, waving her hand, “I’ll help you track him down. He’s got one of my cards, after all. Come on sis, Kattobingu!” Yuma takes off, Kotori and Astral on her heels.

“We need to look seriously,” Astral says, “We’ll never get anywhere if we search blindly. He kept saying ‘Life is a Carnival,’ I remember seeing that slogan somewhere.”

“On the train!” Yuma cries, “The slogan circles the lower level of Heartland tower when you pass it on the monorail, it was an ad for the WDC! I bet that guy is headed for the train, let’s go!”

And they must be headed in the right direction, because as they run, they can hear police sirens going in the same direction. They follow the sirens to the train station, where there are helicopters, cars, and police in riot gear.

“You can back out,” Yuma tells Kotori, but she shakes her head.

“I’m with you,” she vows.

So Yuma grabs Kotori’s hand and says, “Run fast!”

Together they race up the stairs, barrel their way past crowds of people and police, all of whom are watching Charlie, and they watch as Charlie holds up the Numbers 7 card. Lightning descends from nowhere and the train, formerly silent, rumbles to life.

“That’s not how lightning even works,” Yuma grumbles, but she holds tight to Kotori’s hand and the two of them dash into the train car at the same time Charlie slips into it. The doors close, and the train takes off.

Charlie is laughing to himself, and Yuma screams, “HEY, YOU WHO MESSED WITH MY SISTER’S HEART!”

Charlie whirls around. Yuma stalks up to him and jabs her finger in his chest. “I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you need to ask my sister out on a date!”

“Yuma?!” Kotori squeaks.

“And he needs to give back your Numbers!” Astral cries.

“And give me back my cards!” Yuma adds.

Charlie sighs. “Why are you so intent on this?”

Yuma stomps her foot. “Because my sister needs to get married and have a baby so she can mother someone besides me!”

Charlie blinks at Yuma, then he snorts and starts laughing. Yuma kicks him in the shin. He yelps, and Yuma smirks. “Are we dueling or not?”

Charlie glowers. “Fine, we’ll duel. Let’s see if we can finish before this train arrives at the next station.”

“But who’s controlling this train?!” Kotori yelps. “It started moving by itself after the lightning struck it!”

Charlie grins and holds his hands out. “Fear not! My luck will protect us, for as long as the sun remains whole, this card’s luck will never run out!”

Yuma chuckles. She loves word play.

 

* * *

 

 

It turns out, Charlie stole the luckiest card in the world to give it to his niece, who was undergoing an operation. Yuma breaks the lucky spell on the card to beat Charlie, but she has a feeling that she can get the luck back.

It also turns out that Kotori didn’t have to worry about who was controlling the train. The cops hacked the control system to bring the train to a safe stop, and Akari was waiting with the police at the next station.

Charlie gives Yuma Numbers 7 as well as the other cards he took, and the police handcuff him. Yuma sighs. “I guess you can’t be my brother-in-law if you’re going to jail.”

“He wasn’t going to be your brother-in-law either way!” Akari snaps.

Yuma ignores her and calls to Charlie as he’s lead away, “Don’t worry! I’ll bring this to your niece!”

She manages to get to the hospital just before the little girl is taken into surgery. Yuma tells the child that her uncle sent her, and Yuma presses Numbers 7 into the girl’s hand.

“You can give it back once your surgery is over,” Yuma tells the little girl with a wink. “Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”

It’s the luckiest card in the world, after all.


	19. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma claps her hands to her mouth. She remembers Rio, right after the accident, her body covered in bandages and an oxygen mask strapped to her face. No no no no no, that can’t happen to Tetsuo and Takashi too, it just can’t!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my episode 33-34 rewrite. Bring tissues.

“HEART BURNING!” Mr. Heartland’s hologram screams before bursting into confetti.

Yuma scowls. “May you have heartburn for the rest of your life,” she says under her breath.

Kotori shakes her head. “Don’t be rude, he’s never done anything to you.”

Yuma sighs. “Whatever. Let’s get going and meet up with the others.”

Cathy and Tokunosuke are waiting for Yuma and Kotori at Heartland square, but Tetsuo and Takashi are nowhere to be found.

“Did they head off without us?” Tokunosuke wonders.

“Man, and we had a really good story for them, too,” Yuma says. She grabs her phone and dials Tetsuo, putting the phone on speaker. When he picks up she snaps, “Bro, where are you? We’re all waiting.”

“Sorry Yuma!” Tetsuo says. “Takashi and I got invited to duel a celebrity duelist, we’re already at the place where we’re meeting him.”

“Oh?” Yuma asks, “Where? Which duelist?”

“It’s Four!” Takashi yells, “We’re going to duel him!”

Yuma’s blood runs cold. Four? It can’t be the same Four who spells his name IV, the man who hurt Rio…can it? How many people who are duelists could go by the name Four or IV?

Cathy squeals, “Oh, I’m so jealous!”

“NO!” Yuma shrieks. She grips her phone tight in both hands. “Tetsuo, you have to turn him down! Get out of there, where are you, don’t do it! He’s the one who—”

“Calm down, Yuma,” Tetsuo says, “Look, he’s here, I gotta go.”

“DON’T!” Yuma wails, but Tetsuo has already hung up.

Kotori looks at Yuma in horror. “I wanted to tell you,” she says, “IV is famous, everyone thinks he’s amazing.”

Cathy and Tokunosuke look at Yuma in shock. “What’s wrong?” They ask.

Yuma claps her hands to her mouth. She remembers Rio, right after the accident, her body covered in bandages and an oxygen mask strapped to her face. No no no no no, that can’t happen to Tetsuo and Takashi too, it just can’t!

Yuma struggles to get the words out, “IV is the one who was dueling Rio when she got burned. He’s the one who implied to Ryoga the other day that the accident wasn’t an accident.”

Cathy and Tokunosuke look horrified. Cathy sways on her feet. “And now he’s dueling our friends?” She whimpers.

“We have to stop them!” Yuma cries. “How do we find out where they are?”

“Don’t worry!” Tokunosuke cries, whipping out his phone, “I have tracking devices installed on all your phones! We can find them!”

He has…oh boy, Yuma’s going to talk to this kid about that later. 

 

* * *

 

By the time the group finds Tetsuo and Takashi, the duel is over. The two of them are lying, battered and bruised, in a construction zone. Yuma is the first to reach them. She checks them both for a pulse and pleads, “Wake up, wake up, oh please wake up!”

Tetsuo stirs and opens his eyes. “Takashi…” he mutters, “Blood…”

Yuma frantically checks Takashi over. She touches the back of his head and her hand comes away sticky. He is indeed bleeding.

There’s a roar of a motorcycle and an almighty crash. Yuma looks up in time to see Ryoga smashing his way through a gate, and he skids to a stop in front of the man who can only be IV. A shiver runs down Yuma’s spine as she gets to her feet. IV has the most evil eyes she’s ever seen on a human.

“Found you,” Ryoga snarls. He gets off his bike. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your biggest fan already?”

Yuma wants to call out to Ryoga, but she’s frozen. Kotori, Cathy, and Tokunosuke kneels beside Takashi and Tetsuo, whispering that they need to get the duo to the hospital.

Across the construction site, IV laughs. “Oh, I did forget you. By the way, how’s your precious little sister doing?”

Yuma doesn’t even recognize the god-awful wail that leaves her mouth. She races across the site, past Ryoga, and launches herself at IV. She just manages rake her nails down his face, and she reaches for his throat but she’s grabbed around her waist and hauled back before she can get a good grip.

“Yuma, no!” Ryoga screams, wrestling Yuma away from IV. “He’s not worth it!”

“LET ME GO!” Yuma screeches. She squirms in Ryoga’s grasp, her eyes locked on IV. He’s got a hand to his cheek and he’s bleeding where Yuma scratched him. It’s not enough. “I’LL RIP YOUR EYES OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND FEED THEM TO THE VULTURES!” Yuma vows.

“Stop!” Ryoga shouts in Yuma’s ear, “Rio wouldn’t want you to do this!”

Yuma lets out a scream so loud it feels like her throat is ripping in half. “She was my best friend!” Yuma screams at IV, “You almost killed her! What did she ever do to you?! She was twelve, she was just a little girl!” Yuma bares her teeth and snarls, “I hope you burn in hell! I’m glad you have that scar on your face, now you’re as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside! YOU HIDEOUS MONSTER!”

IV takes a step forward, but a boy Yuma didn’t even notice throws his arm out. A beam of red light shoots towards Yuma, but Ryoga shields her and the light wraps around his wrist. The boy says something to IV, and IV starts to walk away. He flashes his golden heart frame in Ryoga’s direction, and says he’ll see Ryoga in the finals.

“COWARD!” Yuma screams. “You won’t even answer for what you did!”

Ryoga gets his hands on Yuma’s shoulders and he turns her around to face him. He gives her a shake. “Enough!” He shouts. His eyes are full of tears. “You said enough,” he whispers.

Yuma’s knees give out and she slumps against Ryoga’s chest. She sobs into his jacket.

Ryoga hugs her. “It’s okay,” he murmurs. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yuma,” Kotori says. Yuma lifts her head and wipes her cheeks. Kotori gestures behind her. “Cat-chan, Tokunosuke and I are going to take Tetsuo and Takashi to the hospital.”

Yuma steps away from Ryoga. He’s still anchored to whoever this other guy is. “I’m staying here,” Yuma tells her.

Kotori nods and squeezes Yuma’s hand. “Be careful, both of you,” she says.

Ryoga activates his duel disk. The boy across from him activates his own, and Yuma notices that he has a duel tattoo and a glowing symbol on the back of his hand. The screen that appears above his head identifies him as III.

Unable to hold back, Yuma screams, “Is your name ‘ill’ or ‘three?’”

The boy’s eye twitches. “It’s Three.”

“So you’re, what, in the same gang as that hideous monster IV?” Yuma asks.

III turns to Yuma, eyes blazing. “He’s my brother.”

Yuma claps slowly. “You must be so proud that he burned a little girl and just landed two boys in the hospital,” she says scathingly.

III ignores her, and Yuma decides to keep a lid on her comments since Ryoga needs to be dueling. Astral floats next to her, and Yuma puts her hand behind her back. Astral takes hold of it and squeezes. III plays a deck that Yuma might find interesting if she could get over his relation to IV. The biggest shock of his deck is Number 32, and it’s even more shocking when III seems to allow Ryoga to get the Number on his field.

Yuma bites her lip as she watches Ryoga struggle with the Number. She doesn’t know what to do, she’s never had to fight against the control of a Number. What  _can_  she do?

 

* * *

 

 **‘Give in,’**  A voice whispers to him.

Ryoga shuts his eyes, but it does no good; he can see the beast looming in front of him. It reaches out with one giant claw, and the claw pierces Ryoga’s chest. He lets out a cry of pain, and the voice says,

**‘Just give in, it’s pointless to fight me.’**

Ryoga has been fighting for so long…maybe it is time to give up.

But Yuma’s face suddenly appears in his mind. Her smile, her scowl, her tears, he’s seen them all in the last few days. She believes in him. And Rio, she’s counting on Ryoga. She would never let him hear the end of it if she knew he gave into a card, of all things.

And he pictures the two of them, sitting on the sofa in matching pajamas, reciting the words he finds so stupid but remembers so well.

“Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered…” they would say it together, in dreamy tones, in giggles, in whispers because it was 3 AM and they should have been sleeping. It was their favorite part of the movie.

 _‘I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen,’_  Ryoga thinks. He stares the monster down, willing the claw to retreat from his chest.  _‘For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great…’_

 

* * *

 

 

“You have no power over me!” Ryoga shouts. The number 32 appears on the back of his hand, but Ryoga appears as strong and confident as he ever has been.

Yuma lets out a cheer and she hops around joyfully. “You did it, you resisted the Number!” She pumps her fist in the air. “Thank you, Jim Henson!”

III looks utterly taken aback, but he recovers from his shock. He seems confident that he can win, but Yuma knows better. Ryoga told the Number off, and that means the duel is as good as his. III has clearly underestimated him from the start, and there’s no coming back from that

Sure enough, Ryoga does win. III tosses Ryoga a heart piece and a card—Numbers 32—before he also shows off a filled-in frame and says that he’ll see Ryoga in the finals.

Yuma watches III go, and jumps as her phone rings. She answers it, and Kotori tells her that Takashi and Tetsuo are shaken, but they’re going to be fine.

Yuma almost sobs with relief. “Okay,” she says, “Give them my best.” She hangs up and turns to Ryoga. “You were amazing,” she tells him.

Ryoga steps closer to her. “Yuma, you can’t go after IV like that again.”

“Of course I can,” Yuma retorts. “And I will. You think I’m going to let him get away with what he did to Rio?”

“I’m not asking you to do that,” Ryoga says. “I’m asking you to let me be the one to make him pay.”

Yuma’s anger flares. “She’s my best friend!”

“And she was my sister before she as your friend!” Ryoga cries. “I want to be the one to do this for her! And…!” He cuts off and takes a deep, shaky breath. “Yuma, IV is stronger than you think. He’s already beaten me once before, and I know it was by setting me up, but he’s had time to get stronger. And we both know that right now, dueling is dangerous. So if I go up against IV and lose, and something happens to me—”

“No!” Yuma interrupts. She covers her ears and shuts her eyes. “You shut up! Nothing will happen to you, you hear me?!”

She feels Ryoga’s hands on her wrists and he takes her hands off her ears. Yuma whimpers and squeezes her eyes shut even more tightly. A few tears slip down her cheeks.

Ryoga leans into Yuma, pressing his head against hers. “If something happens to me,” Ryoga says again, squeezing Yuma’s hands reassuringly, “Promise me that you’ll look after her.”

Yuma sobs and quickly closes her mouth. She shakes her head.

“Yuma, promise me,” Ryoga pleads.

“Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga laces his fingers between Yuma’s. “Because you already threatened IV, I don’t want him going after you because he wants to take one more person that I love away from me. So I’m not going to be around you much. Not until I know that IV isn’t going to hurt you.”

Yuma sniffles. “I can’t talk you out of it, can I?”

Ryoga leans back slightly and Yuma opens her eyes. Her heart skips a beat when she sees how Ryoga is looking at her. He wipes the tears from her cheeks, looking just as sad and afraid as she is, but more than that…

Yuma knows it’s coming. She closes her eyes as Ryoga leans close again, and he kisses her. Yuma holds tight to his hands, and when he pulls back after a moment, she follows him and kisses him again. Maybe she can just hold him here, and he’ll never leave, and they’ll both be safe from this stupid carnival of nightmares.

But it doesn’t work like that. Eventually, Ryoga pushes her away.

“Go get the rest of your heart pieces,” he says. He walks back to his motorcycle and drives off.

Yuma falls to her knees and wraps her arms around her chest, as if she can physically hold her heart together. Astral floats down next to her and wraps his arms around her shoulders.

“It’ll be alright,” Astral says as Yuma cries.

She doesn’t know if she believes him.


	20. Snapshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma has been dying to give someone a good punch in the face all day. “Maybe it didn’t change reality, but damn it felt good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dramatic, Labyrinth-filled retelling of episodes 35-36.

Only after Yuma has left the construction zone does she realize that her phone is beeping with a missed call. She checks the screen—it was Kotori. Yuma calls her back.

“Hey, I was getting worried,” Kotori says.

“Sorry,” Yuma croaks. She clears her throat.

“Have you been crying?” Kotori asks.

“Yeah,” Yuma says.

“Did Shark lose?” Kotori gasps.

“No, he won,” Yuma tells her.

“Then why are you crying?”

 _‘Because he kissed me goodbye,’_  Yuma thinks. But she says, “I’ll tell you later. How are the boys?”

“Good,” Kotori says happily. “Cat-chan and Tokunosuke are with them, I needed to get some air and find a way to cheer myself up. There’s a blimp giving out rides as a Carnival event, it flies right over the city. Do you want to ride it with me?”

Yuma forces some happiness into her tone. “It’s sweet of you to ask, but I do still need two more heart pieces and I should really get on that. You let me know how it is, with any luck we can go together tomorrow.”

“Ah, okay,” Kotori says, sounding disappointed, but understanding.

Yuma smiles, and it’s not forced. “Really, thanks Kotori. You’ve been amazing through all of this. I’m lucky to have you as a friend.”

“Eh, you’re all sappy now,” Kotori says with a giggle. “Okay, I’ll call you later. Good luck with your duels!”

“Have a fun ride,” Yuma says. She hangs up and pockets her phone, and looks around in surprise. “Of course I ended up here,” she says. The river bank, where she always ends up. She takes a seat on the stairs and pulls the key over her head. She holds it in front of her face, frowning at it.

The door promised her great power. So why does she feel so weak and defeated? She doubts Zexal can fix things now—Rio’s in a coma, her attacker is on the loose and hurt two more of Yuma’s friends, and Ryoga thinks he needs to sacrifice himself. Oh, and Kite is still out and about too. Yuma can’t believe it but she actually forgot about him for two seconds.

“Who would I rather face in a dark alley, Kite or IV?” Yuma asks herself.

“How about neither,” Astral offers.

Yuma laughs. “Oh, if only that could be the case.”

Astral places his hands under his chin and gazes out at the river. “Yuma, I’m beginning to think you were right.”

“Thanks?” Yuma says, confused, “About what?”

“About this carnival being a trap,” Astral says, “And that you shouldn’t take part in it. Maybe there is something to the idea of just looking for Numbers on our own, without being in the tournament. Maybe it is better if Kite is distracted. He hasn’t come looking for you, after all.”

“I notice you left yourself out of that,” Yuma says.

“Because in the end, you’re the one who has the most to lose,” Astral says. “Your friends, your sanity…I’m realizing that it’s all at stake if you continue to face these people.”

“Well I was never sane in the first place,” Yuma says. “And you’ve got a lot to lose, too, starting with your memories and your very existence being close behind.” Yuma frowns. “And you know what? Fuck Ryoga honestly. He can kiss me goodbye all he wants, I’m still going to keep an eye on him and IV. He can’t tell me what to do, and Rio would never forgive me if I listened to him.” Yuma puts the key back around her neck. “If I don’t get the last two heart pieces, fine, but I’m going to do my damned best to get them anyway. I’m not a quitter and neither are you, Astral.”

Yuma hops to her feet and Astral follows suit. “I’m with you either way,” Astral tells her.

“Great,” Yuma says, “Then let’s g—” her phone rings she whips it out. “Whomst is it?” She asks.

“Me,” Akari says. “Yuma, something funny is going on with one of the WDC participants.”

“Funny how?” Yuma asks heavily. She’s got a feeling a Number is involved.

“There’s this guy, Shuta Hayami,” Akari explains, “He’s taking pictures of huge events and getting them published before anyone can even catch on to what’s happening.”

“Akari! Is this about the WDC or your job?!” Yuma demands.

“Both!” Akari says, “Listen, I’ve got a funny feeling that this dude is up to no good, I’m wondering if he’s doing something to cause incidents near him so he can make money off the pictures he takes. Since he’s a WDC participant it makes him a danger to a lot of people! I need you to help me track him down, I’m already leaving the house and I’m sending you a picture. Do not duel him, you hear me?”

Yuma, now thoroughly convinced that a Number is at play, quickly responds. “I’ll help you find him. See you soon.”

 

* * *

 

 Kotori waves goodbye to Shuta as she boards the blimp. It was nice to see her old friend, and she’s glad that he’s still doing photography.

The blimp isn’t too crowded, and Kotori heads right for a window. It’s an absolutely beautiful day, it’s a shame that it started out so badly, but maybe things will end up getting better from here.

A little girl runs up to the window beside Kotori. She squeals with excitement as she looks out at the city. “So pretty!”

Kotori smiles at the little girl. “It’ll be even better once we get in the air.”

The little girl beams up at Kotori. “I’ve never ever flown before!” She says excitedly. “Well, once before, in an airplane, but I was a baby then, so it doesn’t count because I don’t remember, but this will count because now I’m six and I’m big enough to remember!” She holds out her hand. “My name is Atsuko, what’s yours?”

Kotori shakes Atsuko’s hand. “I’m Kotori. It’s nice to meet you, Atsuko.”

Atsuko clings to Kotori’s hand and jumps up and down. “I hope we start flying soon! I love pretending to fly, I pretend on the swings in the park and the slides in the park and when my daddy picks me up really high, but he says I’m getting too big to go really high anymore. Have you flown before?”

Kotori nods. “I went in an airplane a few years ago, but I remember it very well.”

Atsuko’s eyes widen and she looks positively enthralled. “What was it like? Was it scary?”

“Well, I was a little scared,” Kotori admits, “Because airplanes are loud, but I don’t think the blimp will be quite as loud. And it’s fun to look down from way up in the air.”

“Do you think we’ll go higher than Heartland tower?” Atsuko asks.

“I think we just might,” Kotori says.

The blimp’s engines start whirring, and an announcement rings through the viewing area. “Good afternoon, passengers. We are beginning the process of takeoff for our half-hour long flight above Heartland. We ask that you take small children by the hand as we take off, and don’t forget to enjoy the view.”

Atsuko looks around the viewing area. “Now where did my mommy go?” She asks.

Kotori looks around as well. “Let’s see if we can find her,” she suggests.

But they make a full circle around the room, and Atsuko says she doesn’t see her mommy. The blimp begins to rise, and Atsuko’s eyes fill with tears.

“Oh no,” she whimpers, “I don’t think my mommy is here!”

Kotori pats Atsuko’s head. “Now we don’t know that,” she says, trying to keep her voice even and calm. “Let’s find a person who works here, and ask them to make an announcement for your mommy.”

They find a stewardess, who gets on the loudspeaker and asks for Atsuko’s mom, Chiaki Ikue, to please come forward. But no one moves from the windows, and Atsuko begins to cry.

Kotori lifts the little girl into her arms. “There, there, it’s okay,” she says. “Was your mommy with you when you came on the blimp?”

Atsuko whimpers, “No, I ran ahead. I was so excited, mommy told me not to run…”

The stewardess is on the blimp’s phone. She nods and looks over at Atsuko. “Atsuko-chan, your mommy is on the ground, she didn’t manage to get on the blimp before takeoff. We can’t turn around right now I’m afraid, but we will soon, and we’ll get you back to your mommy.”

Kotori sighs with relief. At least Atsuko’s mom has been found. She wipes the little girl’s cheeks. “See, we know exactly where your mommy is now.”

Atsuko sniffles. “Is mommy mad at me?”

The stewardess strokes Atsuko’s hair and smiles at her. “No honey, she’s just happy that you’re alright.”

Kotori looks towards the window. As long as they’re in the air, she might as well see if Atsuko can’t enjoy the ride after all. “Look, Atsuko-chan!” She says, pointing out at the view. “We really are as high up as Heartland tower!”

Atsuko whips around to look out the window and she gasps. “We’re flying!” She squeals.

Kotori carries her over to the window and Atsuko presses her hands to the glass. Tears all but forgotten, Atsuko is transfixed by the view. “The cars look so small!” She says, “And the buildings look like dollhouses!”

Kotori relaxes and she and Atsuko start playing I-spy. Crisis avoided, everything is right with the world.

 

* * *

 

Akari has already found Shuta Hayami by the time Yuma gets to the city. The boy is definitely possessed by a number, and Yuma arrives in time to hear him explain that the pictures he takes with his camera become reality. He then tosses a picture at Akari, and Yuma leans over her shoulder to look at it. The photo shows Kotori clinging to a little girl while smoke surrounds them.

“No!” Yuma gasps. She pulls out her phone and dials Kotori’s number.

“Yuma?” Kotori answers, “What’s up?”

“Are you on the blimp?” Yuma asks.

“Yes,” Kotori says, “But we’re turning around soon, there’s a little girl who got separated from her mom and…”

“Kotori, listen!” Yuma interrupts, “Is anything amiss with the blimp? Any funny noises?”

“Funny noises?” Kotori echoes, “Well, no. Why do you ask?”

Before Yuma can answer she hears a loud ‘boom’ from behind Kotori, and then she hears the exact same sound in the distance. Yuma, Akari, and Shuta look up and see the blimp, now with smoke rising from one engine.

Akari glowers at Hayami. She raises her fist. “Why you little—”

“Hitting me won’t change reality,” Hayami says, turning to look at the sky. “The fact is that blimp—”

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence, because Yuma punches him square in the jaw. Hayami claps a hand to his mouth and stares at Yuma in disbelief. Yuma smirks at him and shakes her hand out.

“Maybe it didn’t change reality,” she tells him, “But  _damn_  it felt good. I’ve been wanting to sock someone all morning.” She speaks into her phone. “Kotori, hang in there. Try to keep calm, I’m going to see what I can do from down here.”

Akari puts her helmet on. “I’m going to follow the blimp!” She says. She dashes to her motorcycle. “Kattobingu!”

“Kattobingu!” Yuma agrees. She turns to Shuta, who raises his camera.

“It’s hopeless,” He says. He has blood dripping from his lip where Yuma punched him. “I know exactly what you’re going to do. You’ll summon Hope, and you’ll lose. It’s your destiny.”

Yuma activates her duel disk. “Is that so?” She says. “Well then, it’s a good thing that I love wordplay, and I don’t believe in destiny.”

 

* * *

 

The stewardesses are trying desperately to open the door to the cockpit. People are screaming, children are crying, and Kotori holds Atsuko to her chest, trying to shield the little girl from the sight of smoke billowing from the engine.

The blimp shakes.

“Mommy!” Atsuko wails.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Kotori says, though she knows she hardly sounds convinced herself. What to do?! What would Yuma do if she was here? What would Yuma say? Kotori wracks her brain, but all she can think of is freaking Labyrinth!

There’s another loud boom and the blimp rocks side to side. Kotori clutches Atsuko tighter.

 _“Y-you remind me of the babe,”_  Kotori sings quietly,  _“The babe with the power…”_  Atsuko looks up at Kotori. Tears cling to her eyelashes, but some of the fear has gone from her face.  _“The power of voodoo,”_  Kotori sings.

“Who do?” Atsuko whispers.

Kotori laughs. “You know that song?”

Atsuko smiles and wipes her cheeks. “I love Labyrinth, and my mommy loves David Bowie.”

Kotori could cry with relief. Of course this child loves Yuma’s favorite movie. She taps Atsuko’s nose. “You do!”

“Do what?” Atsuko asks, smiling.

 _“Remind me of the babe!”_  Kotori says.

And together, they sing,  _“I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry, what could I do? My baby’s love had gone, and left my baby blue, nobody knew…”_  They sway back and forth on the floor of the blimp. By now, they’re both smiling.  _“What kind of magic spell to use?”_

They sing, loud and strong. By the time they get to the chorus for the second time, other children have joined them on the floor. Atsuko starts clapping, and the other children clap along even though they don’t know the words.

When Atsuko and Kotori finish singing ‘Magic Dance,’ Kotori looks around at the other kids. “Who here likes ‘Chibi Maruko-chan?’” She asks.

The blimp is still shaking, the stewardesses are still trying to break into the cockpit, but Kotori learned the dance to Odoru Ponpokorin in elementary school and as she starts to dance to the chorus, the children join in. A few of them even know the words to the song. Kotori is hoping and praying that somehow, something will happen and they’ll all be okay, but just in case…well, these kids won’t be scared. Kotori will sing for them until this is over.

 

* * *

 

The duel is over, and Yuma looks desperately to the sky, but the blimp is still falling at an alarming speed. She shields her eyes against the sun—has anything improved? Then she spots something approaching the blimp…no, it’s someone. It’s Kite!

Yuma takes off running in the direction of the blimp. People are screaming, staring at the sky, and now Yuma can smell the smoke that’s coming from the blimp’s engines. She gets closer, the blimp is heading for the road. There’s an almighty crash and several people cover their eyes, but the blimp is in one piece, sliding down, down, down the road…and then it stops.

A wave of people rush toward the blimp, and Yuma isn’t the first to reach the crash site. The engines are still smoking, but people are walking off of the blimp. And as Yuma runs over, Kotori exits the blimp, carrying a little girl.

Yuma hears a loud wail and a woman rushes past her. “Aa-chan!”

“Mommy!” cries the girl in Kotori’s arms. Kotori puts her down, and the girl rushes to her mother. They embrace, the woman clinging to her daughter as tight as she can. “I’m sorry!” The little girl says, “I’ll never run ahead of you again, I promise!”

Yuma runs to Kotori and hugs her. “Thank god you’re okay,” Yuma whispers.

Kotori is shaking. “I sang to her,” she says, “Atsuko was so scared, I just wondered what you would do and all I could think of was Labyrinth, so I sang Magic Dance to her and she sang with me…” Kotori laughs, “She knew it, can you believe it?!”

Yuma releases Kotori and leans back. They’re both half-laughing, half-crying.

Atsuko comes over, dragging her mom. “Mommy, this is the girl who I was with!” She says, grabbing Kotori’s hand.

Atsuko’s mom hugs Kotori. “Thank you so much,” she says tearfully. “I can’t thank you enough, you beautiful girl, you helped my baby!”

Kotori smiles and says, “She helped me, too.”

Atsuko pulls on her mom’s shirt. “Mommy, can I play with Kotori again someday?”

“I would love that!” Kotori says.

So Kotori and Atsuko’s mom exchange phone numbers, and Kotori puts her hand on Yuma’s arm and says, “Maybe my friend Yuma can come, too. She’s the one who showed me the Labyrinth movie for the first time.”

“You like Labyrinth?” Atsuko asks in delight.

“It’s my favorite movie!” Yuma says.

Yuma and Atsuko start singing ‘Dance Magic,’ and a camera flash goes off. Kotori and Yuma turn towards the flash, and Hayami lowers his camera.

“What on Earth happened to your mouth?” Kotori gasps upon seeing Hayami’s split lip.

“Oh, nothing,” Hayami says. He hands Atsuko the picture he just took, showing her and Yuma singing while Kotori and Atsuko’s mother look on with smiles.

“Wow, thanks!” Atsuko says. “Mommy, can we put this by my bed?”

“Of course, baby,” Atsuko’s mom says. “Now, let’s say goodbye. I think we both need to go home and rest after this day.”

Atsuko waves to Yuma, Kotori, and Hayami. “Bye-bye, see you soon!”

Yuma sighs and wraps her arm around Kotori’s shoulders. “So,” she says as they wave to Hayami and walk away, “What else did I miss?”


	21. Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma puts her arms around the boy and shuts her eyes. From behind her eyelids she can see a bright light, and she braces herself for a crash, but it never comes. Her ears start ringing, and she opens her eyes. The truck is now three inches from her face—or it would be, if not for the giant hole in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the rewrite of episode 40!

By the end of day two, Yuma is the only person with heart pieces left. She and Kotori buy snacks and meet up with Tokunosuke, Tetsuo, and Cathy in Heartland square. Tokunosuke gripes about how he could have gotten into the tournament by making fake heart pieces, and Yuma smacks him upside the back of the head for even entertaining the idea.

Yuma and Kotori bid goodbye to the other three after finishing their snacks. Kotori counts some caramel candies left over and puts them in her pocket.

“They’ll melt like that,” Yuma tells her.

“They’re the good kind,” Kotori says. “It’ll take a longer time for them to melt. Besides, I like them soft.”

“Better hope you never need braces,” Yuma teases, “Like Akari did. She was always breaking her brackets by eating marshmallows and caramels.”

“I’d rather deal with crooked teeth!” Kotori says.

As they approach a busy intersection, they hear a scream.

“What now?!” Yuma gasps, taking off at a run. She gets to the corner and sees a little boy walking in the street, against the light. “Oh, bloody hell!” Yuma screams. She dashes out in front of cars, horns blare all around her, and she snatches the little boy up and rushes him to the divider in the middle of the street.

Yuma kneels in front of the little boy, looking him over. He doesn’t appear hurt at all, thank the heavens. “Are you okay?” She asks.

The boy looks at her blankly. Is he in shock? She waves her hand in front of his face and he blinks slowly.

“Yuma,” Astral says, “I recognize this boy. He was in the picture with Kite.”

Yuma looks again at the child’s face. Oh, he does look like that little boy.

A horn goes off right in Yuma’s ear. She looks up—a truck is swerving to avoid a horrible driver, and it’s sliding right towards Yuma and the child.

Yuma puts her arms around the boy and shuts her eyes. From behind her eyelids she can see a bright light, and she braces herself for a crash, but it never comes. Her ears start ringing, and she opens her eyes. The truck is now three inches from her face—or it would be, if not for the giant hole in it.

Yuma picks the boy up and runs to the safety of the sidewalk. People are staring open-mouthed at the truck, and Yuma grabs Kotori by the wrist and pulls her along. They run a few blocks away before Yuma stops and puts the little boy down on the floor.

“Kid,” Yuma says, kneeling in front of him, “Are you Kite’s brother?”

The boy nods. His eyes move to where Astral floats behind Yuma’s shoulder. “Aren’t you cold?” He asks in a soft voice.

Yuma’s jaw drops.

“Can you see me?” Astral asks.

Kotori grabs Yuma’s arm. “Yuma, he just put a hole in that truck!”

“Oh, that was your doing?” Yuma asks the boy. “I thought it was me and Astral.”

“How can you see me?” Astral asks.

The boy blinks a few times. “I want my brother,” he says.

“I know your brother,” Yuma tells him. “I don’t know where he is right now, but I know Kite.”

“You do?” The boy asks.

Yuma smiles and nods. “I do. My name is Yuma, and I dueled Kite once. I don’t think he liked me very much, but he told me that he loves you and wants to help you. Can you tell me your name?”

“I’m Hart,” the boy whispers.

“Hart, that’s such a pretty name,” Yuma says. “Well listen Hart, like I said I don’t know where your brother is and it’s too late to try to find him, so how about you come to my house and we see what we can do for you?”

Hart looks around. “I don’t know where I am,” he says.

“That’s okay,” Yuma tells him. “I’ll keep you safe. How does that sound?”

Hart looks up at Yuma, and her heart constricts. A little boy shouldn’t look so tired, but Kite did imply that he was sick.

“Are you hungry?” Yuma asks. Hart nods, and Yuma says, “My grandma is making dinner. Want to eat?” Hart nods again. “Okay,” Yuma says, “Come on.” She takes Hart’s hand and he walks willingly with her.

“Is this a good idea?” Kotori asks.

“Better than anything I can think of at the moment,” Yuma says.

 

“About time!” Akari yells as Yuma shuts the front door. “I was about to send the SWAT team after you! Where have you been?” Akari marches over and freezes when she sees Yuma helping Hart out of his shoes in the front hall. “Who is this?” She asks.

“Since you know Kotori I assume you mean him,” Yuma says as she takes Hart by the hand once again. “This is Hart,” she says, “He’s the little brother of a duelist I met in the WDC, but he’s lost and I don’t know how to find his brother right now, so he’s going to stay with us.”

Akari frowns. “Yuma, you can’t just bring children in off the street, the police are a thing for a reason.”

Hart whimpers and hides behind Yuma’s legs. Yuma scowls. “Oh, now you’ve scared him. Buzz off until you get your motherly instincts back.”

Akari sputters. Grandma looks around the corner and smiles. “Kotori, Yuma, you brought a friend! How lovely! Come in, everyone, let’s all get ready for dinner.”

Akari’s protests fade as Yuma leads Hart to the bathroom. “Let’s wash up,” she tells him. Hart’s movements are slow and almost robotic, as if he’s not present within his own body. Yuma wonders if he has an invisible disability, or if he’s like this because of medications. Either way, he’s unlike any child she’s ever seen.

Once Hart and Yuma have washed their hands, they go back to the kitchen. Kotori is helping grandma at the stove, Akari is chopping vegetables, and Lillybot is outside, barbecuing some fish. Yuma goes to the drawers where the utensils are, and hands them off to Hart.

“Here, hold these for me, please,” she says.

She takes plates and bowls from the cabinet and leads Hart to the table. She shows Hart where to put the chopsticks and spoons once she’s set the plates and bowls on the table. As she goes back and forth for cups and serving dishes, Hart follows her like a little shadow, silent and wide-eyed.

When dinner is ready, Hart sits between Yuma and Kotori. Yuma puts food in front of him, but Hart merely stares at it. Yuma feeds herself, watching Hart to see what he does. Across the table, Astral mimes eating with chopsticks. Hart watches intently, then he picks up his own utensils and starts to eat. After a few hesitant bites, something seems to click.

“Good job,” Yuma praises, stroking Hart’s hair as he eats some vegetables.

“What a good little eater!” Grandma coos. “Now then, how was everyone’s day?”

Kotori tells Akari and Grandma about the blimp incident. Yuma scoops more rice into Hart’s bowl. “Eat as much as you want,” she encourages. He’s such a thin little thing. Yuma takes her phone out and takes a picture of Hart eating. He looks up when he hears the shutter click. Yuma grins at him.

“Wanna take a sel-ca?” She asks.

“Yuma, no phones at the table,” Akari says.

“Oh, leave her alone,” Grandma says, swatting Akari’s arm.

“What’s a sel-ca?” Hart asks.

Yuma turns her camera around to the front one. “Like this,” she says, leaning into Hart and showing him the screen. He blinks at the image of himself. “Because you take a picture of yourself with the camera,” she says. “Self-camera, sel-ca. Smile!”

Hart’s lips twitch. Yuma snaps a photo. Kotori dashes in behind the two of them and gives them both bunny ears. Yuma giggles and Hart actually smiles like he means it.

“Perfect,” Yuma says, “I’ll send this one to your brother.”

“Can we take more pictures?” Hart asks.

“Of course,” Yuma says. “Once you eat, we can take lots of pictures.”

When everyone has finished eating, clean up begins. Yuma gives Hart her phone and shows him how to change which camera is used, and how to take pictures. Hart follows her, snapping away. He takes pictures of Kotori, Akari, grandma, and Lillybot as they put away leftovers and wash dishes, and he takes pictures of himself. When cleanup is finished, everyone sits down to watch TV—Labyrinth, naturally. Hart stops taking pictures and stares, mesmerized, at the TV. Yuma sings ‘Magic Dance’ to him, and she recites the end of the movie word-for-word, staring into Hart’s eyes the whole time.

Upon the movie’s end, Hart starts rubbing his eyes and yawning, so Yuma asks him if he wants to lay down. He nods, and Yuma carries him upstairs. She finds a large t-shirt that he can wear and an extra toothbrush, and she sends him into the bathroom to change and clean up. She keeps her ear pressed to the bathroom door in case he needs help or falls over, but Hart seems to be doing just fine. Kotori comes upstairs just as Hart walks out of the bathroom.

Yuma leads Hart into her room and lifts him on to her bed. He stares at her, and she asks, “Do you want me to stay with you?”

Hart nods, and Yuma sits on her bed and puts her pillow in her lap. Hart lays down and Yuma throws a blanket over him, and she plays with his hair until he falls asleep, which takes an astounding twenty seconds.

“Poor little thing,” Yuma says quietly. “I’ve never seen such a young waif.”

“What’s a waif?” Kotori asks.

“A creature removed, by hardship, loss or other helpless circumstance, from its original surroundings. The most common usage is to designate a homeless, forsaken or orphaned child, or someone whose appearance is evocative of the same,” Yuma parrots, almost word-for-word from the dictionary. “Red used it all the time.”

“You think he’s an orphan?” Kotori gasps.

“I doubt any parent would willingly leave someone so young in the hands of a moody teenager like Kite,” Yuma says. “I think they’re both orphans. Don’t you think Hart seems neglected? I’ve never seen a kid act like he does. And he was so hungry. I wonder if Kite got hurt trying to stop the blimp.” She bites her lip. “Maybe I should have called the police,” she says.

“You still could,” Kotori says. “After all, if you face Kite again, you might have to duel him. What would happen then?”

Yuma sighs. “I wonder. Maybe it would be different if I was returning his brother to him.”

Hart whimpers in his sleep, and Yuma rubs his arm. “Shh, it’s okay,” she says. “I’ve got you.”

Kotori takes her phone out. She looks at it for a few minutes, then puts it aside. “The hole in the truck is all over the news, but no one is talking about a missing child or anyone who looks like Kite, so I can only assume that Kite isn’t hurt and if someone is missing Hart, they aren’t using the media to find him.”

The two are quiet for a while. Yuma takes out her phone and goes through the pictures that Hart took. Most of them are blurry, but a few are really nice, artsy even.

After about half an hour, Hart suddenly opens his eyes and shoots up. “I want my brother,” he gasps, hugging himself and rocking back and forth. “I want my brother.”

Yuma hastily pulls Hart against her chest. “Deep breaths,” she says firmly. “You have to wait. We don’t know where Kite is.”

“I know,” Hart whispers. “I know where to go. I need to go.”

“You need to go?” Yuma asks.

Hart looks at her with desperate eyes. “I need to take care of my brother.”

Maybe Yuma got it wrong. Maybe Kite is the one who’s sick and needs help. “Okay,” Yuma says, making a split-second decision. “You show me where he is, I’ll take you there.”

“Is that a good idea?” Kotori asks.

Yuma is already helping Hart get dressed. “He wants his brother,” she says. Before she leaves, she runs to the attic and grabs her bag of tricks, as well as a little something she got from Tokunosuke earlier. If Hart takes off, she needs to be able to find him, after all.

 

* * *

 

But getting Hart to his brother is not easy. For some reason the WDC referees are after Hart, and he does Not Want to go with them after they mention Heartland. Yuma and Kotori end up running Hart through the backstreets and alleys of the city, with Hart pointing to the wind farm as the place he needs to go to meet Kite. Kotori whimpers that it’s a bad idea, but Yuma knows Hart needs to see for himself if his brother is or is not there. So she, Hart, and Kotori break into the wind farm, climb to the top of an observation tower, and get out on the roof.

Hart paces across the roof. “It’s not here,” he whispers, wringing his hands. “But I need it, I need it for Kite!”

“What do you need?” Yuma asks.

Hart’s eyes glow red. He opens his mouth and screams, and the red light from his eyes expands to form a sphere around Hart’s body.

“Oh, this is not a normal tantrum!” Yuma cries.

Astral flies through the red light, ignoring Yuma’s shriek for him not to, and places his hand on Hart’s head. Kotori grabs Yuma’s arm, as if holding her back. After a moment, Astral flies backwards.

“Yuma!” Astral yells, “Hart is looking for something called caramel!”

Caramel? Wait a minute! “Kotori! Hart wants a caramel!”

Kotori pats her pockets and takes out a caramel with a triumphant shout. She hands it to Yuma, and Yuma backs up a few steps, yells “KATTOBINGU!” And charges at Hart. She busts through the wall of red light, wraps her arms around Hart, and knocks him aside. She twists so that she lands on her back and Hart is safe on top of her. The light fades and Hart looks confused. Yuma holds out the caramel.

“Here,” she says, trying to keep her tone light even though she’s scared, “Is this okay?”

Hart sits up and gingerly takes the caramel. “Nii-sama gave this to me,” he says quietly, “I felt sad, but it made me feel better. Nii-sama is sad, and sick.” Hart smiles at Yuma. “Caramel is magic. It makes you feel better, no matter what.”

Yuma feels like she could cry. Kotori kneels next to Hart, and they both give him a hug.

But the moment of peace is short lived as the whirr of helicopter blades breaks through the silence. Yuma and Kotori cling to Hart as a chopper lands on the roof. Yuma expects to see the referees, but instead a man with hair down to his shins exits the plane. Yuma presses Hart’s face to her neck, momentarily terrified that the man’s hair will get caught in the spinning blades and his head will be ripped off.

“Hart,” the man calls, “Let’s go.”

Hart squirms, but Yuma holds fast to him. “Up yours!” She yells, “Hart wants to go to his brother!”

The man looks down at Yuma. “Then it’s a good thing that I am a friend of the Tenjo family,” he says. “Hart, don’t you remember me? It’s time to go.”

“Chris,” Hart says, twisting out of Yuma’s arms. He runs to the man, who scoops him up.

“Ready to go?” Chris asks.

Hart nods and turns to Yuma. “I’m sorry,” he says. “But my mission is to destroy Astral world. I need more screams.”

Yuma gapes at Hart. He needs…screams?

“Just what is going on?” Astral asks, horrified.

Chris takes Hart into his helicopter, one with a Heartland symbol on it. Yuma watches the chopper retreat, standing on the roof in total shock—until another chopper suddenly swoops overhead and one of the Heartland referees comes dropping out of it.

“You!” The man yells, pointing at Yuma, “Where is the boy?” The man grabs Yuma’s arm, and Yuma snaps. She does what she does best—she screams.

“HELP, HELP!” Yuma screeches, thrashing and kicking, “PERVERT! I’M BEING ASSAULTED! KOTORI CALL THE POLICE!”

The man lets go of Yuma, shaking his hand as if he’s been burned. The lady referee drops down beside the man.

“Shut up,” she snaps, “As referees we can have you kicked out of the Carnival for this behavior.”

“DO IT THEN!” Yuma cries. She points at the man. “We’re not on Carnival grounds or in a Carnival duel so that’s abuse of power! I’ll see both of you in court! He attacked me and Kotori saw it!”

Kotori shrieks into her phone, “A strange man grabbed my friend and tried to yank her off! He looked like a pervert!”

“I am not a pervert!” The man yells frantically.

“You act like one!” Yuma and Kotori yell.

“Everyone be quiet!” Kite’s voice roars. A second later, he drops down on the roof.

“Thank god,” Yuma gasps. She runs to Kite and throws her arms around his neck. Kite stumbles and his robot shrieks for Yuma to unhand its master, but Yuma hangs on to Kite. “Someone named Chris took Hart,” she whispers. “Hart wanted to go with him.”

Kite puts his hands on Yuma’s shoulders and pushes her back. “Leave us,” he tells the referees, “Yuma and I have to talk.”

“I don’t take orders from you!” The man says.

Kite gives him a scathing look. “No, you’re just good for pushing little girls around, right Gauche?”

The man, Gauche, makes a choking noise and takes off, the woman following. Yuma sighs and runs back to Kotori to hug her. “Way to go, girl,” She says, patting Kotori’s back. “I knew I could count on you.”

Kotori is shaking, but she smiles. “Just don’t ever scream ‘pervert’ again unless you really mean it.”

“God willing I won’t have to,” Yuma says.

“Where is Hart?!” Kite demands.

Yuma takes out her phone and opens her tracking app. “I told you, a guy names Chris said he would take Hart to you. Hart believed him and took off, but after I literally rescued Hart from the middle of the street and took him into my house, I was worried he would try to run away when we left to find you so I put a tracking device on him and look, he’s headed to the old museum!”

Kite tries to snatch Yuma’s phone, but she yanks her hand back and shoves her phone in her pocket. “No grabbing,” she snaps. “I’ll share with you as we go.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Kite snarls, “It’s my job to protect Hart and I don’t need your help to do it. Go home and get ready for me to steal your Numbers.”

He calls for the robot and starts to walk away. Yuma squeezes her hands into fists, and she races across the roof, grabs Kite’s shoulder and spins him around, and she punches him in the jaw. He’s shocked, and she gets another punch in before he can work up the reflexes to block her third blow.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Yuma screams at Kite as he squeezes her fist. She starts crying, not from pain, but from anger. “You think you’re the only one capable of caring for Hart?!”

“You don’t know anything about him!” Kite says.

“He ran away from you in the first place because he was worried about you!” Yuma shouts through her tears. “He wanted to get you caramel, because it’s magic and could make you feel better. He loves you so stinking much, you’re his whole world, and where were you when he needed you?” Yuma shoves Kite. She yanks her phone out of her pocket again and shows him the pictures Hart took. “Look! Look at him smile! He was with me! I showed him how to take pictures with a phone! I treated him like a normal little boy, he helped me set the table, he helped me clean up! I could tell he’d never done it before in his life! You sold your soul to the devil?! How dare you take Hart with you!”

“What was I supposed to do?!” Kite screams back. “He puts holes in things! He has a dangerous power! The Numbers are going to help him get better!”

“HOW?!” Yuma screeches. “How is that working out for you, huh? How are the Numbers going to help? Did you ask?! Maybe get a second opinion! Maybe don’t take him to the…the…” Yuma sobs openly. She shakes her head. She drops her phone and grabs Kite by the collar of his shirt. She shakes him weakly. “Why did you give him to Heartland?”

Kite grabs Yuma’s hands. He bows his head. “Heartland took him from me. I had no choice.”

“Lies!” Yuma screams. “You always have a choice! You’ve been making all the bad ones, maybe you should learn to ask for help, huh?”

“What can you do?” Kite demands. “You’re just a little girl!”

Yuma shakes herself free of Kite’s grasp. “I have Astral, you nitwit!” She shouts. “With him I’m even more powerful than your Galaxy Eyes! And in case you were wondering, the Numbers contain Astral’s memories! There’s no special power to them so how are they going to make Hart stop putting holes in things?!”

Kite blinks at Yuma. “M-memories?”

Yuma throws her hands up. “Lord help me for I am being tested. Let’s get a move on, I’ll explain things on the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting in the next part, we really begin to veer away from canon. Because canon Kite was too much of a jerk for me.
> 
> Also Yuma being really upset at Kite for bringing Hart to Mr. Heartland...we go over that in the next part, but I think you can kind of get what I'm going for. In any case, I'll bring it up now because of trigger warnings. I've seen a lot of fan-content about Mr. Heartland taking advantage of Kite in a sexual way, and having rewatched the series I can honestly say Mr. Heartland gives me the creeps and I can see why people went there. While Heartland does NOT have that kind of relationship with Kite in this series, I am making Heartland a pervert. For more information, PM me on my [tumblr account](http://rainbow-galaxy-supernova.tumblr.com) and I'll fill you in.


	22. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma turns to the stairs. IV and III stand at the top of them. “Oh, joy,” she says, deadpan. “It’s the basket case and his lapdog.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the rewrite of episodes 41-43!

The walk to the museum is a long one, and it gives Yuma plenty of time to tell Kite about how she came to have Astral as a partner. She even overshares by telling him that Astral is her soulmate, and if Kite continues to try to take Astral and the Numbers away from her, dueling will be his last worry.

“I carry a taser,” she says, taking it from her backpack and showing him, “And don’t think I won’t use it on you and then cheerfully stab you in the stomach to protect my soulmate.”

“Yuma, please don’t threaten murder,” Kotori whispers.

“Oh it won’t kill him,” Yuma says. “It’ll just be really, really painful.”

“Hart’s life depends on the Numbers!” Kite says.

“You still haven’t explained how,” Yuma says.

“I don’t need to know how!” Kite insists.

“Yes, you do!” Yuma tells him, “You don’t treat cancer with a card game, so how are Numbers supposed to cure Hart of this power to put holes in shit?”

“Because of Astral world!” Kite yells. “Because Astral world needs to be destroyed!”

Yuma rubs her forehead. “Again I ask, how does that help Hart? Because now you’re not only talking about stealing souls on earth, you’re destroying another planet.” She glares at Kite. “How do you sleep at night?”

Kite’s eye twitches. “I don’t.”

“Good!” Yuma says. By now, they’ve arrived at the museum. “You may have stopped the blimp from crashing today, but that doesn’t excuse enabling murder. There are living beings on Astral world, who never did a damn thing to you! You’re a horrible person and when Hart grows up and learns what you did, even if it was for him, how many people you helped kill, what is he going to think of you? What is he going to think of  _himself?”_

Kotori covers her mouth, then lowers her hand. “You’re kinda right, actually.”

“I know I’m right!” Yuma says. She pulls her bolt cutters out of her bag and clips the lock on the gate outside the museum. “I don’t know much about Astral world, but I doubt this cursed power of Hart’s came from there, if he’s using it to destroy Astral world. So once Astral world is destroyed, what happens to the power that suddenly makes it not Hart’s problem?”

“I don’t know!” Kite yells.

“Then why are you blindly taking orders from people who are just as much in the dark as you?!” Yuma yells back.

“They’re not!” Kite yells. “My father—” he cuts off, going pale.

“Your father what?” Yuma demands.

“Uh, guys?” Kotori says, “A walkway just came out of the lake.”

Kite and Yuma turn towards the building. “Oh,” Yuma says. “Guess we’re being invited in.” She turns to Kotori. “You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to.”

“Too late,” Kotori says, managing a wane smile, “I know too much.”

Yuma takes her hand and squeezes it. “Want my taser?” She asks.

Kotori hesitates, then nods. Yuma hands it to her as they head down the walkway. Kite gets to the museum first and pushes his way into the museum.

“HART!” He screams.

“Oh, god,” Yuma sighs, rubbing her head. “So much for a sneak attack.”

“Give me back my brother!” Kite demands.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice drawls. “What a delightful combo we have.”

Yuma turns to the stairs. IV and III stand at the top of them. “Oh, joy,” she says, deadpan. “It’s the basket case and his lapdog.”

“Where is my brother?!” Kite asks, taking a step forward. “What have you done with Hart?”

“Don’t worry. He’s still alive, for now,” IV taunts.

“Keep it up, ugly,” Yuma tells him, “I’m gonna slice your dick off while you sleep.”

IV is so furious that he doesn’t notice Yuma slip her hand into her backpack.

“You want Hart back?” IV asks, “Then get past us. We’re going to duel!”

The red light that IV shoots from his duel disk hits Kite, but the anchor that III shoots out hits the mirror that Yuma whipped out from her bag and bounces back, anchoring to III’s other wrist.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!” Yuma screams, pointing at III triumphantly, “YOU JUST PLAYED YOURSELF, BOY! YOU PLAYED YOURSELF!” She cackles, and Kotori whoops. She turns to Kite who, dare Yuma even entertain the idea, actually looks impressed. “So,” Yuma says, “Should I stay here and help you duel?”

Kite’s almost smile turns into a scowl. “I don’t need your help.”

Yuma ignores him. “Well since we have to wait for these clowns to tell us where in this godforsaken building Hart is, I suppose I will stay.”

“Be careful,” Astral warns Yuma, “Don’t duel with anger in your heart.”

But Yuma is angry. She’s angry, and scared, and she is confused. How did she end up here, dueling by Kite’s side and facing the man who burned her best friend? She takes a deep breath and keeps her eyes closed as Kite, IV, and III summon their cards. When Kite’s attack hits her, she still keeps her eyes shut. She lets the effect wash over her. She searches deep, deep within her heart. She knows she can’t let go of all her anger, so she doesn’t attempt to force herself to.

Instead, she pictures Hart, her father and mother, her sister, Rio, Ryoga, and Kotori. She thinks of Takashi, Tetsuo, Tokunosuke and Cathy. For them, dueling is fun. For them, it’s about sarcastic remarks and bad jokes that have everyone laughing. It’s about strategy, and planning, and using your monsters, spells, and traps to the best of your ability. That’s what she has to do here.

So when it’s Yuma’s turn, she opens her eyes and summons Hope. She takes in IV and III’s shock; they didn’t expect her to have a Number. They don’t know about her and Astral.

IV laughs. “Truly, it would be worthless to defeat someone without a Number.” He smirks. “Just as it was worthless to defeat your friends.”

Kotori whimpers. Yuma shakes her head. “You think an awful lot of yourself,” she tells IV. “You didn’t defeat them.”

IV’s face twists. “I left them in the dust!” he screams.

“You did,” Yuma agrees. “But they got up. They’ll be okay soon, and they’ll duel again.”

“Bitch,” IV spits. “I gave them my best fanservice and you can’t appreciate it! I’ll give you even more!”

Yuma blinks at him. “Uh, that sounds…nice? I’m really into maid café’s lately, you gonna turn that stupid coat of yours into a frilly dress?”

Kotori giggles. Kite makes a choking noise. Yuma turns to him, and he looks at her wide-eyed.

“What was that noise?” Yuma asks. “Are you laughing?” He doesn’t answer, but Yuma would bet real money that he did laugh.

IV continues his turn, and he and III bring out a combo that could have destroyed Kite, if Yuma didn’t play her trap.

“Boom shakalaka!” Yuma cheers as she saves Kite’s ass.

“Was that Astral’s idea?” Kite asks her.

“No idiot, it was mine!” Yuma snaps. “Jeez, you got a crush on him or something? Back off, he’s mine!”

“Astral?” III asks quietly.

“WHY ARE YOU REJECTING MY FANSERVICE?!” IV wails. “I WANT TO SEE YOUR PAINFUL EXPRESSIONS!”

Yuma gapes at him. “Wow,” she says, “Someone has  _issues.”_

IV giggles. “I know how to see your painful expressions!” he snaps his fingers, and a screen is pulled up. Yuma’s heart constricts as she watches Hart writhe in pain, calling out for his brother. Kite lets out a pained cry and falls to his knees.

“Brother!” III gasps, “That’s too much!”

“Have you forgotten our suffering?!” IV asks him. “I won’t stop until everyone has suffered the way we have!”

“What suffering?” Yuma demands.  She stares at IV, hands on her hips. “Go on, tell me. That scar on your face you got when you burned Rio alive? That’s not suffering, that’s karma.”

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” Kite screams.

“Oh boy, now we’re in for it,” Yuma says.

And of course Kite falls right into a trap. Yuma shuts her eyes and does her best not to let Hart’s screams tear her to shreds, because that’s what IV wants. She could throw the duel, she’s not bound by an anchor, but if she leaves Kite might really lose. So she saves his ass, again, and then she scolds him.

“Control yourself,” she hisses. “You’re not helping Hart like this.”

Kite stares at the screen, where his brother is shown to still be in pain. “You have no right to tell me what to do!” Kite says. “You have no idea how I feel!”

Yuma walks over to Kite. She puts her hands on his face, and she stands on her toes to look into his eyes. Kite looks utterly confused, and broken. He can’t be more than a few years older than she is.

“My mom and dad are missing,” Yuma whispers. “My best friend has been in a coma for two years after IV started a fire that burned most of her body. Every day I face people wo want to hurt me and take Astral away from me. And you’re right, I don’t know how you feel, but I know loss. I don’t want to see you lose Hart. I’m trying to help you. It may not seem like it, but sometimes, sometimes you have to piss people off to make your moves matter.”

“What?” Kite asks.

Yuma presses a finger to her lips. Then she kisses Kite’s cheek. “Give me a chance,” Yuma pleads.

She walks back to her place across from III. IV says something terrible, but Yuma locks her eyes on III, who has looked uncomfortable from the moment Yuma laid eyes on him.

“How dare you?” She asks III. “As a brother yourself, you should be ashamed. Letting Kite see this, letting Hart go through this? I  _know_  your brother is a psychopath, but what does that make you, that you’re okay with this?”

III flinches, and IV snarls at him. “III, don’t—”

Yuma blows a raspberry. IV glares at her, then opens his mouth again, and Yuma blows another one.

“Will you stop?!” IV yells, and Yuma holds her arm to her mouth and lets out the loudest fart-noise she can.

IV screams, “I’m going to make you…!”

But the rest of his words are drowned out by Yuma’s scream,  _“YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE!”_

 _“WHAT BABE?!”_  Kotori screams back.

Back and forth, Yuma and Kotori go, until Yuma breaks into song.  _“I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry. What could I do? My baby’s love had gone, and left my baby blue, nobody knew, what kind of magic spell to use?”_

And she watches the screen, hoping desperately that Hart can hear her…yes, yes! Hart’s face relaxes, and he briefly opens one eye, glowing with red light, before it squeezes shut again, but Yuma knows that he can hear her.

“Yes!” Yuma laughs, “Yes Hart! You remember, right? I said the words to you, and now I need you to say them with me.”

Yuma walks onto the Duel field, approaching the screen where she can see Hart’s face.  _“‘Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child you have stolen.’”_  The words have never been more true than now. Tears form in Yuma’s eyes. “Hart, you have power you don’t even realize. You are stronger than this, I have faith in you. Say it Hart,  _‘For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great.’”_  Yuma grabs the Key around her neck. She can see Hart’s lips move. “Yes Hart!! Say it, say it!”

Hart’s eyes fly open. Beautiful, golden, and focused. “You have no power over me,” he says.

The screen goes black. Yuma turns. Astral is standing across the field. “ASTRAL!” Yuma screams.

Astral holds out his hand, and Yuma runs to him, becoming enveloped in red light. Astral is surrounded by blue light, and they crash into each other. Heat fills Yuma’s body, piercing through to her very soul, but she’s freezing. It hurts, but it doesn’t hurt. She can hear a loud roar in her ears, and she can hear utter silence. When she opens her eyes, IV and III are gaping at her.

“This is my power,” Yuma tells them, her voice deeper. “This is the love I have for my soulmate, for Astral. I am stronger than you know, I am braver than you can imagine, and I will not stand for your brand of suffering any longer.”

She’s able to summon Hope back, and she’s able to perform a chaos XYZ change. And when she ends her turn and hands it over to Kite, she hands him her monsters as well.

Yuma isn’t surprised when she and Kite win the duel. As III and IV’s life points drop to zero, Yuma takes off running. Thanks to the power of Zexal she full-on crashes through a brick wall and breaks into an empty room, empty but for three people—Chris, Hart, and…

“Jesus Christ,” Yuma says in horror, staring at the thing lying next to Hart, “Is that a fucking gremlin?”

The…gremlin…lying next to Hart struggles to its feet. Yuma can only see one eye, and it looks angry. “What are you?” The gremlin asks Yuma.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Yuma says. “I’m Tsukumo Yuma, what the hell are you?”

“Tsukumo,” The gremlin repeats. Then, as if right out of a Jim Henson movie, the gremlin vanishes in a shower of glitter.

Yuma unfuses from Astral and runs to Hart, where he lies unconscious on the floor. She cradles him in her arms and looks up at Chris. “What have you done?” She asks. Chris looks down on Yuma.

Kite comes careening into the room, and she hands Hart off to him. Yuma narrows her eyes at Chris. “ANSWER ME!” She screams.

“What happened?!” IV yells from behind Yuma.

“The ritual was only half successful,” Chris says. “Hart was able to fight at the last moment. Tron only got some of Hart’s powers.”

“What happened to the rest?!” IV demands.

Chris shrugs. “I suppose it’s gone.” He turns to Yuma. “So, you are Tsukumo-san’s daughter.”

“One of his daughters,” Yuma fires back. “What are you, the spawn of Satan?”

“Your father is alive,” Chris says. “He’s in Astral world.”

A swirling mass of galaxy-print opens up behind Chris, and he disappears into it. Yuma turns in time to see IV vanish into the galaxy-print as well, while III hesitates.

“You,” Yuma says, pointing at III. “You’re not like them. You have a conscience.” She fixes him with a steady glare. “When you decide that it matters, you come find me.”

III disappears as well. Yuma turns to Kite.

“I’m sorry,” Kite says, staring down at Hart. “I’m so sorry. I’m going take you home now.”

“Oh, like hell you will,” Yuma snaps. “You listen to me Kite, Hart isn’t going anywhere near Heartland.”

“He’s sick!” Kite screams, “He needs help!”

Yuma stalks over to Kite and seizes him by the hair. He cries out in pain, and Yuma yanks his head back so he will look her in the eye. “Hart is unconscious. He can’t use his power. He doesn’t even have his power right now, because as we just heard, that gremlin took most of Hart’s power and the rest is gone. That makes him just like any other sick kid in the world, and of no use to anyone wanting to use his power to destroy Astral world.” Yuma leans down to Kite. “Now how much of a damn do you suppose Heartland gives about him?”

“Then where do we go?” Kotori asks.

Yuma releases Kite’s hair. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

 

* * *

 

 “Knock knock!” Yuma screams as she barges into Ryoga’s apartment. “I hope you’re decent!”

Ryoga sits up on the sofa and squints at Yuma and the parade coming in behind her. “What the hell?” He asks.

“Ryoga, meet Kite, Hart, and Orbital,” Yuma says, going down the line. “Hart needs medical attention, but we’re hiding from Heartland.”

Ryoga’s eyes widen. “Oh god,” he says. He scrambles up and runs to the back of the house. “C’mon, he can have Rio’s bed.”

Kite carries Hart into Rio’s room and lays him on the bed. Orbital wheels in, carrying bags of saline and vitamins, needles and tubes, and other medical supplies. Yuma, Kotori, Kite and Ryoga exit the room to give Orbital space. In the living room, Yuma explains things to Ryoga as best she can. But she only has half the information and Kite isn’t sharing much more.

Yuma sits on the sofa and twists the key’s cord around her finger.  _“‘Your father is alive in Astral world,’”_  she says. “Chris told me that, but how could he possibly know? It’s possible he was trying to distract me. It’s likely he’s trying to distract me.” She squeezes the key in her fist. “And I could dismiss it…but…”

The edge of the world. Dad said he found it when he got lost, and he had the key when he came back. The key is clearly from Astral world, because it’s connected to Astral.

Yuma looks up at Astral. He’s been very quiet. “Astral,” she calls, “Do you know how you’ll get back to Astral world?”

Astral shakes his head. “But with each number we recover, the airship in the key seems to get more mobile.”

“The airship,” Yuma echoes. “Maybe…maybe that’s how? But we’d still need more Numbers before it can work.”

Orbital comes into the room. “Hart-sama is stable,” the robot says. “For now, that is all we can hope for.”

Yuma grabs Kite by the wrist to keep him from going to Rio’s old room. “Okay,” Yuma says, “Now that we know Hart will be okay, start talking.”

Kite looks dead. Yuma puts her hands on his shoulders. “Kite, silence is not going to help. Now, outside the museum you said something to me about your father. Finish saying it.”

Kite puts his head in his hands. “Hart was a sickly baby,” Kite whispers. “My father…my father made a deal with someone from a place called Barian world. Hart would be okay, but my father would owe a debt. And that debt would be paid in Hart using his power to destroy Astral world.”

Yuma turns to Astral. “Barain world, does that sound familiar to you?”

“I believe,” Astral says slowly, “That Astral world is at war with Barian world.”

“They’re at war, Barian and Astral world,” Yuma says, rubbing her eyes. “So basically, a boy from Earth got pulled into a war between two alien planets.” Yuma looks at Kite. “Do you know how your dad got in contact with this thing from Barian world?”

Kite shakes his head. “No, but he’s a scientist, a Doctor, and he was studying other dimensions.”

“Oh,” Yuma says, feeling her temper flare. “So your dad, a scientist, decided to trust aliens instead of medical science. Where is your dad now?”

“I don’t know,” Kite growls. “I haven’t seen him in years, his orders come to me through Mr. Heartland.”

“His orders?” Kotori gasps.

“We don’t exactly go on family picnics,” Kite says sarcastically.

“Don’t you dare speak to her that way,” Yuma snaps. She folds her arms. “So Mr. Heartland isn’t the mastermind of the WDC, is he? That’s your father. And is your father the one who ordered you to gather the Numbers?”

Kite nods. “Hart was using his power to hurt Astral world even before the Numbers came to be part of the equation. The Barian being said that the Numbers would help win the war. If we could gather them, then he could take the power back from Hart, Hart would be healthy, and we could go back to being a normal family.”

“So I was right,” Yuma mutters, starting to pace. “The WDC is a front to gather Numbers holders. But it wasn’t you pulling the strings, Kite, and it wasn’t that bastard Mr. Heartland either.” Yuma chews on her lip. “Hmm. So we have to get to Kite’s father to find out more about this Barian who wants the Numbers and how it affects Hart. But we can’t get to daddy dearest because we don’t know where he is. We can’t even get close Mr. Heartland.” Yuma stops pacing. “But the winner of the Carnival will certainly get close to Mr. Heartland.” She rolls her eyes. “Fantastic. So I can’t get away from this stupid Carnival even now.”

“You’re saying ‘we’ an awful lot,” Ryoga says.

Kite nods. “Especially considering that we have nothing in common.”

Yuma smiles. “C’mere, both of you,” she says, beckoning.

They both hesitate, but move closer to Yuma. She grabs both boys by their collars and hauls them in real close. “Now you both listen to me,” she hisses. “We have nothing in common? That’s a laugh. Here’s what we are—people who have lost their families, who have something to prove, who want to protect loved ones, and who know about Numbers. We also now collectively suspect something rotten in the state of Denmark and want to overthrow the corrupt Emperor. And most importantly, we know where Hart is. We’re working together on this and we’re all going to come out of it with what we want. And to do that, I’m going to be the one calling the shots. So far, I’m the one who’s come up with the plans that worked. Ryoga—” Yuma hesitates. “You know why you owe me. Kite, I got your brother out of that museum, you would have failed without me.”

“What plan?” Kite laughs.

“I got you here didn’t I, smart ass?” Yuma snaps. “Your brother is stable and he’s away from Heartland. What was your plan?”

Kite closes his mouth. Yuma yanks them even closer. “From now on,” she growls, “We—Kotori, Orbital, get in here!”

Kotori scrambles over and puts her head real close to Yuma’s. Orbital wheels behind Kite’s legs.

“We are a duel gang,” Yuma says, “And I am your leader. I am the brains, Ryoga and Kite, you two are the muscle. You listen to the brain. Kotori may not duel but she’s the heart of this operation, she’s gonna keep us sane when we feel like going insane, she’s gonna knock our heads together and remind us that we’re not in this for revenge. And we’re not,” She snarls in Ryoga’s direction. “Revenge is a side dish. We’re mainly here to keep others from ending up like us. You can duel IV but for god’s sake make sure it’s in a place where there are cameras and do your damndest to make him confess what he did to Rio! Now Kite, I know you can’t stay in the shadows but you are not, I repeat,  _not_  going back to Heartland. You stay away from that man by any means necessary. You can hold on to your Numbers cards, one day I’ll duel you for them but today is not that day. You can duel Numbers holders but you are not to take their souls. You can pretend, to hold up appearances, but Astral will be the one taking the Numbers and leaving the souls. Orbital!” Yuma crouches down to the robot.

“I only take orders from Kite-sama!” Orbital screeches.

Yuma holds her hand out to Kotori, who gives her the taser. Yuma smiles. “You take orders from me now, too.”

“Y-yes!” The robot says.

“Hart is going to be staying here now,” Yuma says. “In the next twenty four hours, you are going to make this apartment the most secure place on the planet. I want alarms on every window—screeching, deafening alarms and flashing lights. If anyone tries to get in here, they will be debilitated. No one other than the four people here now are to move in and out of this apartment. If anyone comes who you think is attempting to take Hart, you use any means necessary to keep them the hell away. You do not leave Hart’s side unless ordered to by one of us. If you need to leave the building, such as in the case of fire or other emergency, you take Hart with you and get him somewhere away from Mr. Heartland.”

“How do I get medical supplies?” Orbital squeaks.

“One of us will get them, or if we release you from Hart’s side, you procure them yourself.” Yuma straightens up. Kite and Ryoga stare at her, open mouthed. “Like I said,” Yuma tells them, “I had a plan. Oh by the way Kite, what’s your dad’s name? I can’t keep calling him daddy dearest.”

“Faker,” Kite says. “Dr. Faker.”

Yuma stares at him. “Y’all serious?” She asks.

“Hart and I took our mother’s last name,” Kite says.

“Good thing, too,” Ryoga mutters.

“Right then,” Yuma says, “Our ultimate goal is to win the WDC and get close to Mr. Heartland so we can demand to know Dr. Faker’s whereabouts.

Kotori pipes up, “But people will suspect something fishy once they see you three together.”

“Then we won’t be together,” Yuma says. She turns to Kite. “This will be difficult. You cannot come back to this apartment. Ryoga or I will take anything you get for Hart and bring it here. We can arrange drop off sites. If you come here, it only draws attention. I’m sure eventually we will all be monitored, if we aren’t already, but I know Ryoga, it isn’t unusual for me to be here. So unless you can guarantee your moves will be hidden, for Hart’s security, you can’t see him. You can stay the night, but tomorrow morning, you’re out.”

Kite gulps. “You’re right.”

Orbital gasps. “Kite-sama…”

Kite closes his eyes. “This plan has so many weaknesses, but it has its advantages too. Maybe it can work.”

“And we’re not going to be alone in this,” Yuma says. “My sister is a reporter, and I’m going to sic her on Mr. Heartland.”

“Um, Yuma?” Kotori says softly, raising her hand.

“Yes, dear?” Yuma asks.

“You and Ryoga seem very…upset with Mr. Heartland. What did he do?”

Yuma flinches. Ryoga lowers his eyes.

“Oh, Kotori,” Yuma says. “It’s…it’s a long story.” She takes Kotori’s hand, and they sit on the sofa. “Remember the girl I said was my duel gang leader, Red? She was born with a heart defect, and needed a transplant. She lived in Heartland tower when she was a little girl and…and she said there was a reason Heartland welcomed sick kids into a place where few others could go.”

Kotori’s face turns white, then green.

“It was quite the subject in the duel gangs,” Ryoga says. “A lot of those people were former Heartland guests, or family of those who were. No one had any proof, because no one was ever touched. But there were rumors, that he would go into kids rooms and stare. A lot of those kids grew to be messed up adults, and no one really gave a damn. Or if they did, their investigations never went far.”

Kite rubs a hand over his face. “It’s why I ordered Orbital to keep an eye on Hart at all times.”

Kotori sobs. Yuma hugs her. “I’m sorry,” she says. “But everything we’ve said tonight can’t leave this room. The more people who know about Hart, the more there’s a risk he’ll be found. As for Mr. Heartland, if the subject comes up with the others, I’ll tell them.” She pets Kotori’s hair. “You don’t have to do this anymore.”

“N-no,” Kotori says. She straightens up and wipes her eyes. “I want to help. My will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great.”

“That’s my girl!” Yuma says, hugging her.

“Labyrinth again?” Ryoga asks.

“Hey, it saved Hart,” Yuma says.

“Labyrinth?” Kite asks. “Is that the song you sang?”

“No it’s—” Yuma cuts of and gasps. “YOU’VE NEVER SEEN LABYRINTH?! Hart I can excuse because he’s young, but you?! You have no excuse!!”

“Oh jeez, here we go,” Ryoga groans.

Yuma dashes to Ryoga’s DVD shelf. “I know you have, you gigantic nerd, it’s no use protesting!”

 

* * *

 

 Yuma walks into her house through the front door. She takes off her shoes, and goes to her sister’s room. Akari is still up, typing away at her computer.

“What time do you call this, young lady?” Akari asks, not looking up. “Did you at least get Hart back to his brother?”

“Yeah,” Yuma says. “Listen, sis, I gotta tell you something.”

Akari takes a sip from her coffee mug. “’Sup?” She asks.

Yuma worms her way between Akari and her computer. She plops herself down in Akari’s lap, so her sister will give her undivided attention. “I got a scoop for you,” Yuma says, “About Mr. Heartland.”

 

* * *

 

 Kite holds Hart’s hand as the movie plays on the tiny TV in the bedroom. All around the room, Kite can see evidence of the girl who lived there. “IV burned her?” Kite asks the boy—Ryoga—as on the TV, Sarah dances with the Goblin King.

“That’s what it looks like,” Ryoga answers. “He’s told me as much. He was the one dueling her, and the cause of the fire was never discovered.”

“And you three—you, her, and Yuma—were all friends?” Kite asks.

Ryoga nods. “I didn’t want Yuma mixed up in all this. I didn’t want IV to hurt her.”

“How did she come to find the Original Number?” Kite asks.

Ryoga blinks. “What, 39? No wait, I summoned 17 first.”

“No, what was his name…Astral,” Kite says.

“Oh,” Ryoga says. “I don’t know, he popped out of her pendant after she shoved it into a giant lock on a door that appeared to her in a vision.”

Kite stares at Ryoga. “And she says I don’t ask enough questions?”

Ryoga shrugs. “Hey, Yuma got results, dude. Now shut up, we’re getting to the character development part.”

Kite really doesn’t want to see any more development. He’s finding this move inappropriate and he hopes to god Hart won’t remember the monstrosity in David Bowie’s pants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want y'all to rewatch episodes 41-43 and tell me who's the creepier creep, Tron or IV. I think it's IV. Like I'm not exaggerating in this story, some of the things I had IV say are direct quotes from canon. That boy is TWISTED.


	23. Macaria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma blinks a few times. “Do you mean to tell me,” she says slowly, “That the masked child-like…person I saw on the floor next to Hart is your father?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is in place of episodes 46-49, which felt out of place to me in the original series, but end up with the same result. You'll see what I mean.

Yuma stares at the empty spot in her frame where her last heart piece should go. Orbital made secure communication links for Ryoga, Kite, and Yuma, and Ryoga just used it to let her know that Hart is still okay, and Kite left early in the morning. Kite and Ryoga have all their heart pieces, and Yuma needs to get her last one so she can participate in this tournament and make sure the plan succeeds. She needs to go out and duel, but she’s so unmotivated. She’s been lying in her bed all morning, telling herself to get up while she makes no move to do so. Astral isn’t even trying to get her to get up, he’s lying next to her with his head on her shoulder.

“Should I bother?” Yuma asks him.

“You told Ryoga and Kite that you would,” Astral says. “We did have a hard battle last night. Watching Hart suffer…I’ve never felt such hopelessness before.”

Yuma clings to Astral and burrows her face in his soft hair. “What are we going to do?”

Astral shrugs. “Yuma…I’m afraid.”

“Yeah, me too,” Yuma says.

“Not just for the near future,” Astral says. “But…after. After we collect the Numbers and I regain my memories. What will I do then? What will become of…this? Us? I never thought, when I first met you, that I would feel such terrible pain at the thought of leaving you to complete my mission.”

“Well, to hell with your mission, then,” Yuma says. “So you were sent here to do something, that doesn’t mean you have to do it, especially if you’ve grown to dislike what that mission was. You are your own being, and you have free will. No one can force you to do anything. You can live with me for the rest of our lives, if that’s what you want.”

Astral looks up at Yuma in shock. “Is it that simple?”

“I see no reason why it wouldn’t be,” Yuma says.

“Yuma!” Akari yells, “Your friend Michael is here to see you.”

Yuma frowns. “Who?” She calls, sure she’s heard wrong. She doesn’t know anyone named Michael. She untangles herself from Astral, rolls off her bed and opens her bedroom door, and shrieks loudly. “CHRIST IN A HAND BASKET!”

III holds out his hands, “I come in peace! I—”

Yuma shoves him, hard, and he stumbles into the wall behind him. She snatches a decorative crystal point from her bedside table and brandishes it at III like a sword. “What do you want?” She demands.

III looks at the floor. He holds out his hand. “This is for you,” he says, showing Yuma the heart piece in his palm. “You won last night.”

Yuma relaxes. He really does seem to come in peace, so she puts the crystal down once more and takes the heart piece. “Thanks,” she says. “Was…that it?”

“No,” III says. “I came to apologize. You were right. Letting Hart go through that, standing back and watching, there was no excuse. He’s a child, he did nothing wrong. I feel terrible about it, and I don’t want to support…” he breaks off, choking back tears.

Yuma reaches out and takes III’s hand. “You told my sister your name was Michael, right?” She asks. III nods, and Yuma smiles. “Hi Michael, it’s nice to meet you.”

Michael smiles slightly.

“C’mon,” Yuma says, beckoning for Michael to follow her. “I wanna show you something.” She leads him up to her attic and watches Michael’s eyes go wide as he takes in all the artifacts in the attic.

For hours, Yuma and Michael talk about the treasures that Yuma’s father collected. Yuma shows Michael the meticulously maintained documents that spell out where each piece came from, who excavated it, who sold it, and so on.

“A lot of these pieces are things that dad unearthed himself,” Yuma says. “The pieces are common and museums pass them on for auction, or they’re slightly broken or discolored. And some of them were privately excavated from land that my dad’s family owns in Brazil, which is also where a lot of the crystal comes from. Dad harvested some of it himself, but some of it was given to him by family friends.”

“What about the dinosaur skull?” Michael asks.

Yuma winks. “The skull is fake, but most of the teeth are real. Think you can pick out which ones are and which ones aren’t?”

Once Michael passes that test with flying colors, they turn to talking about Michael’s deck.

“I’m a big believer in looking for evidence of other dimensions by studying the past,” he says.

“Like, aliens built the pyramids kind of things?” Yuma asks skeptically.

“No,” Michael says with a laugh, “More like, the ancients were just as curious about space and other universes as we are, and I think they were more successful at making contact.”

“I can believe it,” Yuma says. “So that’s what you build your deck around?”

Michael nods, and he looks sad. “My family wasn’t always like this.”

“I bet,” Yuma blurts. “So what happened?”

Michael frowns. “Dr. Faker happened. He betrayed my father and sacrificed him to Barian world in order to save Hart. My father was warped by his time in Barian world; he escaped, but became what you saw last night.”

Yuma blinks a few times. “Do you mean to tell me,” she says slowly, “That the masked child-like…person I saw on the floor next to Hart is your  _father?”_

“What’s left of him,” Michael says sadly.

Yuma bites the inside of her mouth so she won’t say something terribly insensitive. “Okay,” she says slowly. She glances at Astral, who hovers next to her, and looks just as incredulous as she feel. “And, um…he’s the one who…wanted Hart’s power?” Yuma asks.

Michael sighs. “He’s behind everything. He gave Thomas—that’s my brother IV’s real name—the card that caused Ryoga’s sister to be burned. He didn’t know it would happen. When Chris came for Hart, I don’t think he knew that Hart would be hurt. None of us wanted this.”

Yuma can’t hold her tongue any longer. “That doesn’t excuse their actions,” she says coldly, “People always have a choice. You and your brothers could have asked questions before you blindly followed your father’s orders. Maybe Rio’s injuries should have been a wakeup call that what your father wanted was, I don’t know, illegal? Immoral? Just plain wrong? Did it set off any alarms in your head that maybe, just maybe, you should stop listening to him?”

“But he’s our father,” Michael says desperately. “He wants to be his old self again, we want that too.”

“Okay, let me ask you this,” Yuma says, “The man you knew as your father, would he ever allow your brothers to hurt anyone? Would he have given Thomas a card that would hurt a twelve year old girl, or told Chris to abduct a child so he could be tormented in front of his brother?”

Michael begins to cry. “No,” he says. “My father would never do that.”

Yuma takes Michael’s hands. “Then that person is not your father,” she says. “He may have your father’s name and memories, but he’s a monster. That’s the only way to describe someone who could condone all of this.”

“But I still love him,” Michael weeps.

“Do you think he’ll be happy, when all this is over?” Yuma asks. “When he goes back to being the man you once knew, do you think he’ll be proud of himself? Of you and your brothers? Or would he be horrified?”

Michael bows his head. Yuma squeezes his hands. “Sometimes loving people means making choices for them that they may not agree with. If that were my dad, I would have taken him to a hospital where professionals might have been able to help him. If he couldn’t be helped,” Yuma’s voice breaks, “Then at least he would be somewhere that he couldn’t hurt people. My father never forced me to do anything I didn’t want to do. Well, once he took me on a hike and I didn’t want to go, but he didn’t yell or scream at me, he was very patient, and we weren’t hurting anyone, and he wasn’t hurting me. In the end, the experience helped me grow as a person. That’s what parents are supposed to do for their children, help them grow, not tell them to hurt other people.”

Yuma lets go of Michael’s hands, and he wipes his face. “You’re right,” he says. “And deep down I knew that, and I think my brothers do, too.”

Well, Yuma has doubts about Thomas, but maybe Chris knows. And speaking of knowing…“Do they know you’re here?” Yuma asks.

“They might,” Michael says. “I told them that I didn’t want to hurt people anymore. Thomas accused me of falling prey to you and the messenger from Astral world.”

Yuma’s temper flares once more. “Astral is just about the most innocent person involved in this,” she says. “He’s done absolutely nothing because he has no idea what he’s here to even  _do._  He lost his memories and they’re in the Numbers cards, so honestly the Numbers powers are completely useless to anyone but Astral because all they are, are his memories!!”

Michael sighs. “People are afraid of Astral world for some reason. I don’t know why.”

Yuma flings herself on to her back. “Well, perfect,” she growls, staring up at the ceiling. She grabs the key and squeezes it. “Astral, do you want to destroy the world?”

“Of course not!” Astral cries.

“Good,” Yuma says. She looks up at Michael. “He says no.”

Michael smiles and Yuma sits up again. “So, what are you going to do now?” She asks him.

“I’m going to go home,” Michael says, “And I’m going to confront my brothers, and my father. I’m going to duel my father.”

“Whoa, hang on there, Macaria,” Yuma cries, grabbing Michael by the sleeve as he moves towards the ladder. “Maybe we can come up with a plan doesn’t involve you sacrificing yourself, yeah? If you have to confront your father, can’t you just punch him in the face and be done with it?”

Michael actually chuckles. “I don’t think it would be that easy. I think I need to do something drastic to get my brothers to wake up. And maybe I can get through to my father. I am his youngest son, maybe I’ll be able to reach some part of him that remembers how things used to be.”

Yuma frowns. “I’m not going to convince you otherwise, am I?”

Michael shakes his head. Yuma gets to her feet, and when Michael stands, she hugs him.

“I wish you luck,” Yuma says. “Whether you succeed or not, you have a friend in this house, and you’re always welcome here.”

Michael hugs her awkwardly and Yuma leans back to glare at him. “Oh please, hug me like you mean it boy, it doesn’t mean we’re getting married.”

Michael laughs, and he hugs Yuma properly. “Sorry,” he says, “It’s…been a while.”

Yuma feels like her heart is breaking for this boy. When Michael backs away, Yuma grabs a piece of paper and writes her phone number on it. “Text me later, if you can,” she says, trying ignore the lump in her throat.

After Michael leaves, Yuma slips the last heart piece into the frame. It fits perfectly.

 

* * *

 

 

Michael never does contact her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Wikipedia :
> 
> Macaria is a daughter of Heracles. After Heracles's death, King Eurystheus pursues his lifelong vendetta against the hero by hunting down his children. Macaria flees with her siblings to Athens, where they are received by Demophon, the king. Arriving at the gates of Athens with his army, Eurystheus gives Demophon an ultimatum, threatening war upon Athens unless Demophon surrenders Heracles's children. When Demophon refuses and begins to prepare for war, an oracle informs him that Athens will be victorious only if a noble maiden is sacrificed to Persephone. Upon hearing this, Macaria sees that her only choice is immediate death on the altar or eventual death at the hands of Eurystheus. Since in neither case will she be granted a normal, happy life, she offers herself as the victim to save the welcoming city and its inhabitants, declining a lottery that would put other girls at risk.


	24. Opera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, so many things are going to happen at the opera tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Click [here](https://www.tbdress.com/product/A-Line-Halter-Beading-Short-Cocktail-Dress-12478899.html) to see Yuma's party dress.
> 
> Yuma sings part of the song "At the Opera Tonight" from Repo! The Genetic Opera, the lyrics of which also inspired the summary for this part.

Yuma flips the invitation between her fingers. A party for finalists. She hasn’t even gone to school, how is she supposed to go to a party?

“I’m sure no one will think less of you if you don’t go,” Astral says.

Yuma sighs. “I want to go. Or I want the motivation to go.” But it’s hard to get into a partying mood when Hart is still unconscious, Dr. Faker remains in hiding, and she has a sneaking suspicion that Michael was harmed by the shell of his own father. Not to mention she can’t stop thinking about how things would be if Rio were with her.

As of summoned by Yuma’s thoughts, Akari busts up through the attic door. “Stop moping,” she says, “If you miss much more school I’m taking your skateboard away.”

“Oh, gag on a spoon,” Yuma snaps. “I don’t give a crap about the stupid skateboard.”

Akari pulls herself up the rest of the way. “Watch your language,” she says. She takes the invitation out of Yuma’s hands and reads it. “What are you wearing?” She asks.

Yuma closes her eyes. “I don’t know if I’m going.” She sighs. “Ryoga and I are supposed to be enemies. This scary guy that I don’t want to encounter will be there. And all I can think about is how if Rio were here, she’d go as Jareth and I’d be Sarah in her peach-fever dream, or we’d be Shilo and Blind Mag.”

Akari takes Yuma’s hand and hauls her out of her hammock. “Well, you won’t find anything to wear by sitting in here all day. Come on, let’s go shopping.”

“What about school?” Yuma asks.

Akari waves her hand. “You’ve already missed half the day. Now let’s go.”

It’s been so long since they had an outing, just the two of them, never mind gone shopping together. Akari drives with the windows down and the radio blasting. They go to an outdoor mall and get lunch first, since Yuma “needs a dress that will fit after eating,” in Akari’s words.

They go into a prom dress shop. Akari has strict instructions—Yuma is fourteen, and will be photographed for anyone to see, so the dress can’t be backless, have a plunging neckline, or stop above her knee. So of course, the dress that Yuma falls in love with breaks all those rules. It’s red, with a sweetheart neckline that’s extended by a layer of sheer fabric that goes to her neck. The bodice, from waist to neck, is decorated with stones. It’s backless and stops above knee-length, but she loves it.

“Please!” Yuma begs, hopping up and down in front of Akari with her hands clasped. She’s got the dress on, and it fits perfectly. “It’s beautiful!”

The sales assistant is on Yuma’s side. “You won’t get a better fit on such short notice.”

Akari sighs. “Alright, but I’m picking your shoes.”

Yuma squeals and hugs her sister.

Akari picks sparkly, silver shoes Yuma would never wear otherwise, but thankfully they don’t have a heel, so she’s not worried about falling on her face. Akari even finds a bag that Yuma can use—also silver, with a thin strap that’ll go over her shoulder.

Yuma is all dolled up by evening. Akari brushes and styles Yuma’s hair in a high ponytail, secured with a rubber band and made pretty by a red ribbon. She wears pink lipstick and a touch of eyeshadow, and a layer of foundation and concealer that Akari spent an hour applying.

“You’re going to be photographed,” Akari had explained, “You don’t want to look older than you are, but you do want to look human.”

“I am human,” Yuma whined.

“Not with those camera flashes, you ain’t,” Akari laughed.

Akari can’t accompany her into Heartland’s inner sanctum, but she calls for a car that can. Yuma jams out to the Repo soundtrack on the ride over, but once her car gets into the queue for the red carpet, Yuma begins to panic. She clutches her invitation in her hands, then puts it back in her purse because her palms are sweating. She holds the key in her hands, then puts it around her neck out of fear she’ll drop it. She checks her makeup again and again. She bounces her leg up and down, quickly, tapping out a rhythm of anxiety on the car floor.

“Everything okay, Miss?” The driver asks.

“Fine,” Yuma squeaks. She wants to tell him to turn around, because she’s not grown up enough for this.

It feels like it takes forever to reach the red carpet, and yet it feels like it happened in the blink of an eye. Just as she considers kicking her shoes off and making a run for it, the car door is opened and…

“What’s up?” Ryoga asks, leaning down to look into the car.

Yuma stares at him. “Thought you were staying away from me,” She accuses.

Ryoga shrugs. He looks atrociously handsome in a dark suit, white shirt and white tie. “Well, you already pissed IV off. Plus your sister told me to make sure you don’t try to run.” He holds out his hand, and the play of light on his suit shows it to be deep blue, instead of black as Yuma originally thought. “Let’s go, Shilo, the Opera awaits.” He gives her a half-smile. “Unless you’d rather not be seen in public with a disgraced, cheating, former pro-duelist.”

Well, that clinches it. Yuma takes hold of Ryoga’s hand and keeps her head high as she exits the car. Ryoga seamlessly transfers Yuma’s hand to the crook of his elbow, and they walk down the red carpet. Over the roar of blood rushing in her ears, Yuma can hear the click of the cameras that go off. She remembers that Ryoga and Rio did some modeling as kids, and she’s not surprised that Ryoga is unaffected by the flashes of camera lights, but Yuma’s eyes begin to water.

“Don’t blink so much,” Ryoga whispers.

Yuma hopes she doesn’t look constipated in the pictures, because she feels like that’s the overwhelming look on her face right now. It’s better once they’re past the red carpet and she can finally blink.

“Ugh,” she groans, gently touching the corners of her eyes, “Isn’t it bright enough to not use flash?”

“Nope,” Ryoga laughs. They walk up a set of stairs and wait to present their invitations, and Yuma turns to look back at the red carpet. Photographers line each side, already turning to take pictures of the next guests. There’s a loud whistling noise, and fireworks explode over Heartland.

Yuma leans into Ryoga. “How is Hart?” She whispers.

“Orbital is with him,” Ryoga says. “No change, I’m afraid. I left Labyrinth on for him.”

Yuma’s heart twists and this time when tears sting her eyes, it’s for Hart.

“Invitation please,” a familiar voice says, and Yuma yelps and holds up her fists.

“You!” She hisses at Gauche.

The man blinks. “You!” He cries.

Ryoga snatches Yuma’s invitation from her purse and shoves it and his own invitation at Gauche. “There you go,” he says smoothly, and he grabs Yuma’s hand and steers her inside. The sound of camera clicks and fireworks fade, replaced by band music.

“No fists for god’s sake,” Ryoga scolds, “You’re a lady.”

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing,” Yuma mutters, shaking out her arms. The rush of adrenaline has her buzzing now. She looks around the room, finding the source of the music to be, of all things, a band of litterbots playing instruments. More robots circle the room, carrying trays of food, and in the center of the room is a giant cake. It’s obscene.

Ryoga holds out his arm again, and Yuma clutches it in both hands. She looks around the room for Kite, IV, or V. Actually, that’s not their names, and she never told Ryoga that.

“III came to me,” Yuma whispers. “His proper name is Michael. He said he was going to duel Tron, his father, and I haven’t heard from him since. Tron is the one calling the shots in that family, making the boys do his dirty work.”

Ryoga shakes his head. “Explain it properly later,” he says. He grabs two flute-glasses from a passing robot and hands one to Yuma. She takes a sip of it and almost chokes.

“Ryoga, this is champagne!” She hisses. “I’m underage!”

Ryoga shrugs and takes a sip. “It’s hardly got any alcohol,” he says as Yuma looks flabbergasted. Ryoga rolls his eyes at her. “I know for a fact Red let you drink.”

“In a dark shed away from the eyes of the public!” Yuma says, shaking her head. “Look, the point of my earlier story is IV and V aren’t real names. V is Chris, and IV’s real name is Thomas.”

Ryoga actually chokes on his next sip of champagne. “For real?” He coughs.

Yuma smiles. “I know, right? It’s so ordinary!”

“It’s so dorky!” Ryoga says.

They start giggling, but just as Yuma begins to relax, she looks across the room and catches sight of Thomas. Her laughter freezes in her throat and the champagne glass slips from her fingers, but a passing robot catches it.

“Yuma,” Ryoga says, suddenly serious, “He can’t hurt you here.”

Yuma breathes through her fear.  _“I must be brave…”_  she sings in a whisper,  _“Come, come what may.”_

“You got it, Shilo,” Ryoga says.

Yuma exhales, and turns away from Thomas…only to see Chris with his hands on Kite’s shoulders.

“Oh, no he don’t!” Yuma snarls, and she takes off across the room before Ryoga can stop her. But by the time she arrives, Chris is gone, and Kite is glowering at empty space.

“Where did he go?” Yuma demands. “I got a bone to pick with him!”

“Leave it, Yuma,” Kite says firmly.

Yuma ignores his warning. “I saw him put his hands on you, did he hurt you?”

“No!” Kite says, exasperated. “God, I’m eighteen Yuma, I can take care of myself.”

“Age has nothing to do with this,” Yuma tells him, “Is it so hard for you to believe that I am concerned about you?”

“Kite,” says a female voice.

Yuma and Kite both turn. A woman steps out from behind a pillar, her eyes only on Kite. “May I speak with you?”

Kite stiffens, and Yuma instinctively reaches for his hand, before remembering that she and Kite are supposed to be enemies. She drops her hand.

The woman’s eyes snap to Yuma, and she frowns. “Alone,” she says pointedly.

Yuma recognizes this woman, she’s one of the referees, along with Gauche, was her name Droite? Yuma thinks so. Yuma knows she’s being looked down on, and it stings, but she can’t do anything about it right now. “See you in the finals,” Yuma says without looking at Kite. She walks away, and Ryoga finds her.

“What happened?” Ryoga asks upon seeing Yuma’s face.

Yuma shakes her head. “Nothing, I just forgot that Kite and I need to be enemies.” She huffs. “You and he drive me crazy. You’ve gotten better but still, why do boys feel the need to push away people who want to comfort them?”

“Toxic masculinity?” Ryoga offers.

Yuma frowns. “Oh. That’s a good answer, I guess.”

The music changes to something like a waltz, and a few couples form an impromptu dance floor.

“Want to dance?” Ryoga asks her.

Yuma hesitates.

“He was watching you,” Astral whispers in Yuma’s ear. Yuma didn’t even realize he was out of the Key. She gives him a questioning look, and he clarifies, “Kite, after you walked away.”

For some reason, that makes Yuma feel better, and she relaxes and turns to Ryoga with a smile. “Okay, let’s dance, Grave Robber.”

“Shilo never dances with him,” Ryoga says with a snort.

“No, but this is my opera, isn’t it?” Yuma asks. She twirls, and as her skirt billows around her legs she’s happy that Akari made her wear shorts. She holds her hands out to Ryoga, and he takes them.

They’re the youngest people on the dance floor. Some couples are practically snuggling as they stare into each other’s eyes. Ryoga keeps one hand on Yuma’s waist, and she keeps one hand on his shoulder, and they keep their other hands clasped and elevated, backs straight and heads held high. Yuma and Ryoga step in a familiar pattern, one they learned when Yuma and Rio talked Ryoga into joining them for ballroom dancing, so they could dance just like Sarah and Jareth.

“I can’t believe you remember this,” Yuma says as Ryoga leads her into a spin.

Ryoga smiles as Yuma finishes her spin and rests her hand on his shoulder again. “I can’t believe  _you_  remember,” he says, “I danced with you and Rio, I had double practice.”

“I danced alone, in my room,” Yuma says, “I had imaginary partners.” Sometimes she danced with Jareth, sometimes with Rio, and sometimes with Ryoga.

Speaking of Ryoga…Yuma can’t stop thinking about that kiss. She knows why he did it, but at the same time, she has no idea. She had told him about her and Astral, and while she and Astral have discussed Ryoga, Yuma has had no discussion about her relationship with Astral and how it works between her and Ryoga. Oh, now her head hurts.

“Ryoga?” She asks quietly.

Ryoga’s expression changes. “What is it?” He asks.

Yuma stops dancing. She takes both of Ryoga’s hands in her own and pulls him towards a wall. As they stand away from the people on the floor, Yuma’s mouth suddenly feels dry. “Why did you kiss me?”

Ryoga doesn’t take his eyes off her. “I fought off the numbers’ influence by thinking of Rio, and you. It’s always been the three of us, hasn’t it? I’ve thought about her so much recently. Of course I know what she is to me, she’s my sister, my twin, I’ve been by her side since before my life began. That’s a bond I’ll always have, and of course I love her. I’ve been friends with you for years, but I’ve never thought of you as a sister. Still, the mere thought of you gives me strength the same way the thought of Rio does. I know I love you, differently from the way I love her. I thought I had to leave you to keep you safe.” He shakes his head and smiles. “I should have known you wouldn’t stay away. But I really thought, in that moment, that it would be a while before we could talk again. So I just couldn’t let you go without…without doing something incredibly selfish, really. I suppose in the end, it was for my own…curiosity, satisfaction, peace of mind, whatever it was, but that was why I kissed you. I know I must have made you so confused, and I’m sorry for that.”

“Are you sorry you kissed me?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga gulps, Yuma can see his throat move as he does it. “Well, I’m sorry if it made things difficult for you and Astral. and I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you wanted.”

At that, Yuma rolls her eyes. “If it wasn’t what I wanted, I would have punched you, not kissed you back.” She looks around. Astral is standing nearby, watching them with a smile. He nods, encouraging. “As for me and Astral, no, it didn’t affect things between us. He actually asked me, before you even kissed me, if I loved you.”

“What did you tell him?” Ryoga asks.

“That I do love you,” Yuma says, “But…I didn’t know if it was the same way I loved Astral.”

“So now what do you think?” Ryoga asks.

Yuma inhales deeply. “I…”

Suddenly the lights go out, and confetti explodes over a balcony. “HEART BURNING!” Mr. Heartland screams as the lights turn back on, all focused on him.

People applaud and Yuma closes her mouth as nausea overcomes her.

“Welcome to the party!” Mr. Heartland says, “I would now like to introduce our finalists for the World Duel Carnival!”

Yuma’s heart races. She has to go up there? Now? Next to Heartland in front of all these people? But a high-pitched giggle echoes around the room and the lights go out again.

“What now?” Ryoga asks, sounding annoyed, but Yuma sees the problem.

“Oh shit,” she gasps as a child-like person in a mask skips into the room. “It’s the gremlin!” She grabs Ryoga’s hand and hauls him towards the door. “The repo man approaches, show’s over!”

“What are you talking about?” Ryoga asks.

“I love cake,” Tron cries.

Yuma yanks Ryoga outside and they race down the red carpet, hand-in-hand. “It’s Thomas and Chris’ father,” she whispers of the click of camera shutters. “The guy who kidnapped Hart!”

Ryoga veers to the right, dragging Yuma with him. He leads her to a corner, where his motorcycle is parked, and tosses her a helmet. “Let’s go,” he says.

Yuma jams the helmet on, crushing her ponytail, and hops onto the bike. Ryoga takes off, speeding through Heartland, out of the gates of the city, and onto the highway.

“Where are we going?” Ryoga calls over the rush of wind.

“Anywhere!” Yuma shouts back.

 

* * *

 

 They end up in a park, close enough to the city that they can still see Heartland tower in the distance. Ryoga leaves Yuma on a bench, his jacket over her shoulders, and goes to a nearby grocery store. Yuma wrenches her hair free of the scrunchie that Akari seems to have made 3 times too tight. As Yuma massages feeling back into her scalp, Ryoga comes back with two bottles of water.

“Why?” Yuma asks as hands her a bottle.

“Because we need it,” Ryoga answers, handing her the bottle.

“No, why isn’t it alcohol?” Yuma grumbles.

“Because we need to be up tomorrow,” Ryoga laughs. “And weren’t you just the one scolding me for handing you champagne?”

Yuma heaves a sigh. “That was before our opera got crashed by a gremlin.”

“Right,” Ryoga says, sitting beside Yuma. “So, explain to me what you know.”

So Yuma tells him everything Michael told her, about Tron, Faker, and why they kidnapped Hart. She tells him that Michael left her house, and she hasn’t heard from him since.

“You really think a father could hurt his own son?” Ryoga asks.

“I think that thing is barely human,” Yuma says, “You should have seen the look on it—oh fine,  _his_  face when I burst in to rescue Hart. I’ve never seen such anger. And Michael said it himself, his father would never condone the things Tron has done, so what does that make Tron?”

Ryoga leans forward, elbows resting on his knees. “Why a gremlin?”

“He’s too big to be a goblin,” Yuma says haughtily.

Ryoga chuckles. “Well, at least we’re away from him now.”

“And being thrown to the lion’s den tomorrow,” Yuma says. She leans against the bench and looks up at the sky. There’s too much light pollution to see the stars. She reaches for Ryoga and paws at his arm until he gives her his hand. “Let’s run away,” she says.

“Where to?” He asks.

“A mountain,” Yuma says. “In the middle of nowhere. We can go off the grid, build a cabin and be goat herders, and never see Tron or Thomas or Chris ever again.”

Ryoga squeezes her hand. “Off the grid means it would be hard for Rio and Hart. And Astral would never get his memories back.”

Yuma sighs. “I know. I would never last in the wild, anyway. No TV.”

Ryoga laughs. Yuma sits up and rests her head on his shoulder.

“Astral is my soulmate,” Yuma says. “Rio may be your twin, but in some ways she’s mine, too. My soul-twin, different from a soulmate. I love her but we’re too similar to be lovers. And you…you’re nothing like Astral. You drive me crazy, you make my blood boil, but you know my anger and my hurts because you have the same feelings. And at the same time…I get a rush out of making you laugh, and I love teasing you. I want you to smile more. I want to go out with you and hold your hand. I wouldn’t give you up for anyone, which is great, because Astral would never ask me to give you up.”

Ryoga’s shoulders shake as he exhales. He turns his head and brushes his lips against her forehead. “I’d never ask you to give up Astral, either.”

Yuma tilts her head up and kisses Ryoga. He turns towards her and cups one hand under her jaw, and Yuma squeezes his other hand tight. In the morning, they’ll be on their own, but Yuma will always have this memory, no matter what happens.

 

* * *

 

 Ryoga drives Yuma home. She kisses him before she goes inside, and as she kicks her shoes off in the front hall, she yells, “Sis, you are not going to believe what I just did.” She looks up to find Kite standing in front of her.

“Oh, what now?” Yuma asks, dropping her stupid purse on the floor.

“I planted a bug on V,” Kite says.

“Chris,” Yuma corrects, “We’re calling him Chris, or Christopher, or Krissy, something that makes him less intimidating.”

Kite’s mouth twitches like he’s trying not to smile. Yuma leans forward and pinches his cheek. “Oooh, aren’t you a cutie when you almost smile,” she coos.

Kite knocks her hand away, scowl back and firmly in place. “This is serious Yuma, Tron hired some of the contestants to gang up on you.”

“Good,” Yuma says, “Turn the recording over to the police.”

“There is no recording,” Kite says. “Unfortunately, the device is too small, it just transmits the audio to me, it doesn’t record.”

Yuma throws her hands up. “Wonderful,” she says sarcastically. “Then why bother telling me?”

“Because,” Kite says, “Tron wants these duelists to push you and show him what your power is.”

Power…Yuma turns to Astral, and he nods. “Tron wants us to form Zexal,” he says.

“Well tough shit for Tron,” Yuma says. “I’m on to him now.” She claps Kite on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”


	25. Light 'em Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cynical as Yuma may be, it’s hard not to get excited as she and her friends run into Heartland’s stadium. It’s absolutely huge, the kind of stage that Yuma has fantasized about since she was a child. She’ll be standing on that stage, for all of Heartland to see, finally a duelist who is worthy of respect. She wishes her mom and dad could be here to see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the part that involves the most episodes at once, episodes 51-56. The main difference between this and canon is that in this rewrite, Yuma didn’t blunder into all of those trap points. Now I’m no duelist and I don’t have the patience to figure out how that would affect her life points so just…don’t worry about the card games in this show about card games  
> Click [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HOD8SH9wMk) for the song Kotori and Yuma sing  
> I also referenced [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvkBvzpbBPs) during Kite and Chris’ duel

Cynical as Yuma may be, it’s hard not to get excited as she and her friends run into Heartland’s stadium. It’s absolutely huge, the kind of stage that Yuma has fantasized about since she was a child. She’ll be standing on that stage, for all of Heartland to see, finally a duelist who is worthy of respect. She wishes her mom and dad could be here to see it.

Yuma bows her head, Key clasped in her hands. She can feel Astral press against her side, and the ghost of a kiss he leaves on her cheek.

“Aw, don’t cry!” Tetsuo says gruffly. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”

“OYE!” Yuma screams, whirling on him, “I’m not wearing any makeup!”

“No, she’s just wearing the glow of  _looooove,”_  Cathy trills, pawing at Yuma’s arm. “Yuma and Astral sitting in a tree…” she sings.

“We can’t sit in trees,” Yuma says, “Not while other people are around, anyway. He turns hazy whenever someone who’s not me is around.” And she’s more likely to sit in a tree with Ryoga anyway. She has yet to explain that to them—all except Kotori are still in the dark about…what she did in the dark. She holds back a giggle, but can’t stop herself from smiling.

“That’s better,” Tetsuo says with a grin. “You’ve been way too melancholy as of late. I miss seeing you smile.”

“Same,” Tokunosuke says with a nod. “We’ll be cheering you on, Yuma.” He holds out his fist, and Yuma bumps her hand against his.

“Don’t forget to watch your surroundings,” Takashi tells her sternly. “Duelists may team up and gang up on others.”

 _‘You have no idea,’_  Yuma thinks, but she says, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Then she turns serious, “But just in case I’m not, all the stuff in my attic is to be donated to a children’s museum, and if the Key survives whatever ends my life, y’all can do rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to finish hunting down the Numbers.”

Everyone stares at Yuma in shock, and she smirks. “I’m not planning on dying, but you know, just in case.” She winks at Kotori, who grins at her, and then she waves to her friends. “See you guys later!” And she takes off running down to the participant’s entrance. She signs in, and an employee holds out a bag for Yuma to leave anything contraband or that she simply doesn’t want to take with her, but she left her phone with Kotori for this very purpose. Then she holds out her D-gazer so a tiny microphone can be attached to it, allowing the spectators to hear everything she says.

“This is meant to be an all-ages thing,” One man says, “So try to keep it clean.” Yuma doesn’t even answer him, because honestly, no way.

Then she’s allowed to join the rest of the participants on the open field. Yuma bursts out of the tunnel, holds out her arms and spins, looking up at the sky. Her heart’s racing and her whole body is tingling, she’s never felt so excited before. Then she stops and looks around the field, and right away her eyes land on Tron.

She freezes, realizing that Tron is staring in her direction, and Astral whispers, “It’s not you he’s looking at, it’s me.”

Well, it’s not surprising that Tron can see Astral. Yuma turns away from the gremlin and spots a line of what look like rollercoaster cars in the center of the field. She approaches a red one that almost resembles her duel disk, and she runs her hand over the door, checks out the steering mechanisms, and pulls on the seat belts.

“This is obscene,” she says. “How are we supposed to duel in these?”

“Carefully,” says a female voice. Yuma turns and finds Droite staring hard at her. “Duel coasters are no game,” she continues.

“It’s true,” Says Gauche as he walks up to Droite. “This will be a duel that puts our lives on the line.”

Yuma frowns. “Don’t exaggerate. No one here signed a release form agreeing not to sue Heartland if something goes wrong, so unless the city wants a bunch of lawsuits on their hands, I’m sure it’s not that dangerous.”

A sudden burst of screaming causes Yuma to jump and she looks around. Thomas has just walked onto the field. He smiles and waves, and Yuma looks somewhere else, anywhere else, and she finds Ryoga. Her still-racing heart skips a beat, and she dashes over to him.

“Incoming!” She screams, and Ryoga turns around just as Yuma crashes into him.

Ryoga stumbles back, catching his balance just in time. “What the heck?” He grunts as Yuma laughs in his ear, “We could have both fallen!”

“Then I guess we’d have been putting on a show, eh?” Yuma says, giving Ryoga a wink. She backs away reluctantly, not sure if she should out her relationship with Ryoga just yet. She spots Kite out of the corner of her eye, and frowns when she sees Orbital with him. “I told that scrap heap to stay put,” she says.

Ryoga catches where she’s looking. “Kite thought it would be weird if Orbital didn’t show up with him today.” He keeps his voice low, and he barely moves his lips. “He said it’s unlikely to happen, but Heartland might have tried to hack Orbital to find Hart. You remember Sayaka? She’s with Hart now.”

Yuma relaxes—Sayaka is Rio and Ryoga’s former nanny. “Okay, I guess that’s okay.” She pushes her hair back and frowns at Thomas as he milks the crowd for all it’s worth.

Ryoga looks around at Thomas and asks, “He didn’t say anything to you, did he?”

Yuma shakes her head. “No, I just…I hate that everyone loves him.” She frowns. “What does he have going for him, honestly? He’s not even that good looking.”

Ryoga snorts. “Forgive me if I don’t trust your opinion on that one.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Yuma squawks, crossing her arms. “I’ll have you know I have excellent taste in men!”

Ryoga smirks at her. “Your track record includes a drugged-up grave robber and a baby-stealer who lives with goblins.”

Oh, he is totally flirting with her! Well, Yuma’s not one to back down. She pokes his forehead. “I’ll have you know that I happen to have two very attractive boyfriends.”

“I beg to differ,” Ryoga says. He keeps his voice low. “I’ve never seen Astral, but I bet he’s way better looking than your other boyfriend.”

Oh god. Yuma’s jaw drops. “Are you flirting with Astral now, too?”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ryoga says with mock-innocence.

Ugh, she wants to kiss that smug look off his face. “I didn’t tell anyone except Kotori that I…that we…about last night,” she finally says. “I plan to, but I want to know how you would feel about it first.”

Ryoga looks briefly worried. “I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he says, looking around the field.

“I can take care of myself,” Yuma says, squaring her shoulders. “Besides, I’m already a bigger target than you could ever make me. You think an awful lot of yourself, you know.”

Ryoga laughs. “Oh, do I?”

Yuma grabs Ryoga by the collar of his shirt and hauls him close to her. She feels a brief wave wash over her, something familiar and terrifying that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but she ignores it in favor of kissing Ryoga right there in front of everyone.

Ryoga holds Yuma around her waist and his hair falls on to her cheek, tickling her. She reaches up to push it behind his ear and she hears a few shouts of surprise from the crowd, and some gasps from the duelists on the field.

When Ryoga leans back, Yuma grins at him. “I think we just stole the show,” she says, feeling her cheeks heat up.

“Fine by me,” Ryoga says, and he looks a little flushed, too.

“Duelists!” Comes Heartland’s voice, and nothing can ruin Yuma’s mood more than that man, “To your duel coasters!”

Ryoga holds out his arm. “Walk you there?” He asks.

It’s a short distance, but Yuma takes his arm anyway. They strut across the field with their heads held high, and before Yuma climbs into her duel coaster, she hugs Ryoga tightly.

“Stay safe,” she whispers, “But give ‘em hell.”

“You too,” he says. He makes to leave, but Yuma stops him.

“Just so you know,” she says, “I have a plan.”

Ryoga looks confused. “A plan for what?”

Yuma holds her finger to her mouth and winks. “You’ll see.”

She hops into her coaster and watches Ryoga walk away. “Astral, did you feel that earlier?”

From the corner of her eye, she sees Astral nod. “Kite stopped time very briefly.”

Yuma rolls her eyes. “That idiot is going to blow this whole thing.”

Heartland starts explaining how the duel coasters work, how the duels will work in this unique arena, and how the heart pieces will serve as the thing that starts the duel coaster.

Yuma smirks. She pats the pockets of her vest. “Now where did I put that dang thing?” She asks herself.

“Duelists, get ready!” Heartland cries.

“Aha!” Yuma says triumphantly, pulling out a nail file. She starts working on her right index finger, winking at Droite, who gives her an astounded look. “I never have time to do this shit at home, you know?” She says with a laugh.

Heartland starts counting down. Yuma moves on to her middle finger and has to resist holding it high in the direction of the giant hologram of Heartland.

The other coasters take off. Yuma works on her pinky nail.

When Yuma is satisfied with her nails, she puts the file away and drapes herself dramatically across the coaster seats. “Oh no,” she says, hanging her head out of the coaster and looking upside-down at the crowd, “I seem to have forgotten my heart pieces. Oh, woe is me, who shall save me?” She has to pinch her own leg so she won’t giggle.

“She’s coming,” Astral says.

Yuma turns her head and sees Kotori running out on to the field. “I’ve got it!” Kotori screams.

Yuma grins and sits up. She can’t see any coasters in the vicinity, and if she hasn’t missed them entirely, then maybe she’s fooled the Fallguys into thinking she’s not a threat.

Kotori approaches, and Yuma holds out her hand for the heart pieces, but Kotori trips at the last moment and falls into the coaster. Yuma grabs Kotori around the waist to steady her, and the frame with the heart pieces goes clattering onto the dashboard of the coaster. Yuma slams her hand down on the frame so it doesn’t fall, and ends up slamming it right into the slot that activates the coaster.

Yuma flings Kotori into the seat next to her. The seatbelts snap into place, and the coaster takes off.

Kotori shrieks.

“Sorry!” Yuma cries as she grabs for the controls. “I knew there wasn’t time to get you out but there was enough time to make sure your seatbelt would be fastened!”

Kotori looks around frantically. “Is this even allowed?!” She asks.

“As director of this tournament,” comes Heartland’s voice, “I shall allow Ms. Yuma to take a passenger along for the ride, though the coasters were not built for two people.”

Yuma grits her teeth. “If they weren’t built for two people then why are there two seats and seatbelts for two? You lying, slimy, sonuva—”

“Yuma look out!” Kotori screams.

Yuma changes lanes just before she can hit a trap card—she’s already getting distracted—and the rush as the car jumps and then slams down on the track makes Yuma scream with delight.

“What a blast!” She cries. She turns to Kotori. “You okay there, girl friend?”

Kotori looks like she’s about to have a heart attack.

Yuma puts an arm around her shoulders. “Sorry,” She yells over the rush of the wind, “I know this wasn’t part of the plan.”

“It’s okay,” Kotori says. She manages a smile, “This is an adventure, right? And now maybe I can help you stay calm.”

“Perfect!” Yuma says, “You can sing Magic Dance to me. Oh,” she smirks, “And tell me, how did everyone react when I kissed my new boyfriend?”

Kotori lets out a shriek of laughter. “Oh my god, they were beside themselves!”

The two of them lean into each other, laughing hysterically. Kotori catches her breath and whispers to Yuma, “So is he a good kisser?”

They burst into giggles again, only to break off with screams as something rams into them from behind.

“YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” Yuma screams, whirling around and giving the driver behind her a glare strong enough to make him falter. “Go sit on a pair of scissors!” She yells at him.

“Yuma in front of us!” Kotori yells.

Yuma looks around—these can only be the Fallguys. Shit, they waited for her? “Creeps,” she mutters. “Hang on, Kotori, shit’s about to get real!”

Yuma struggles to fend off attacks from all three duelists at once, keep control of her car, and strategize at the same time. She knows she can jump lanes to avoid attacks, but the trio of nightmares have her boxed in. If she were alone she might risk it anyway, but she refuses to put Kotori’s life in danger, and she thinks Kotori can sense it and feels guilty for it.

“Chin up,” Yuma says as she plays Gogogo Golem. “Whatever happens here, we both did our best.”

Yuma’s plans don’t work out, and as she braces for a direct attack, she’s suddenly saved by a gigantic train.

“Hi, Yuma!” Shouts, of all people, Anna.

“You!” Yuma shrieks, pointing at the girl, “What are you doing here?!”

“I snuck into the tournament,” Anna says, unabashedly. “I never got to apologize to you for the case of mistaken identity, and so I decided to make it up to you.”

“But how? You said you weren’t participating!” Yuma says.

Anna waves her hand. “I tied up a participant and took their heart pieces.”

“Anna!” Kotori screams, “That’s illegal!”

But Yuma lets out a hoot of laughter. “Everything in this tournament is illegal,” she says. “I like your style, Anna!”

Anna seems to blush, and then she’s on the defense as one of the opponents goes after her. For a while, Yuma and Anna are both on the ropes, until they’re joined by another ally Yuma never expected.

“Gauche?!” Yuma gasps as he pulls into a lane beside her.

“Don’t question it,” Gauche says.

Yuma laughs. “Well okay, then!” At least now they’re evenly matched, three-on-three.

They take out two duelists, but the third guy flees before a crushing blow can be dealt. As he runs, Yuma grumbles. “Coward, didn’t even have the guts to face defeat.” She twists around and looks at Anna. “So what’s next for you? Gonna see if you can stick around for the rest of the tournament?”

Before Anna can answer, Kotori lets out a scream. “He’s back, he’s back!”

Yuma looks ahead—the third duelist is back, and heading right towards her. She can’t switch lanes, it’s too late. Anna jumps down on Yuma’s duel coaster, summons a monster, and takes the direct attack that was meant for Yuma. She’s sent flying, but is saved by her own flying contraption. Yuma then finishes off the cowardly duelist, and narrowly avoids a collision with his duel coaster.

“So many lawsuits,” Yuma says through gritted teeth. “I’m going to take everything this city has.”

“Good luck, Yuma!” Anna screams.

Yuma and Kotori both wave at her, and Gauche warns Yuma to be on her toes. Then, the daylight disappears as they go into the underground.

“Just how much money and labor went into building this monstrosity?” Yuma asks. “It goes on forever.”

Kotori reaches for the screen on the dashboard and taps away. “There’s a map,” she says. “We’re back here…”

Suddenly, Heartland’s voice rings out. “Fourteen duelists left, and now they face the challenge of dueling in the four underground arenas! Magma, Jungle, Space, and Canyon. Pick your opponents wisely, duelists!  _Heeeeeeeeeart burning!”_

“That’s not even grammatically correct,” Yuma says as Heartland’s voice rings around her.

“You’re in last place,” Kotori says worriedly. “Will you be able to duel in these fields?”

Yuma shrugs. “I won’t look for an opponent, seeing as how I am in last place, but if someone wants to battle me I won’t turn them down. Seems poor planning, since there’s fourteen of us but only eight can duel in the fields. What, did they not expect that many people to get this far? And why can’t more than one pair of duelists face off against each other?”

In the time it’s taken her to complain, Gauche has knocked another duelist out of the match. Yuma breaks hard and veers to a left-turn track to avoid a trap card.

Kotori whoops and puts her hands up. “It’s like a real roller coaster!” She grins at Yuma. “You know what this reminds me of?”

Yuma grins, and together they sing,  _“Soko da suru dake no ai na to omoi mitte, Dakedo muri shite dounika tsunaide!”_

They break off with giggles. Yuma wishes she could just focus on the fun of the tournament, but then Gauche challenges Chris to a duel.

“Oh crap,” she whispers, “Not even that old man deserves to get knocked around by Chris.” She has a sudden, horrible thought. “Kotori! Where is Thomas? I mean IV.”

Kotori checks the map. “He’s in…” she lets out a slightly hysterical snort. “Fourth place.” The two of them have a short laugh over that, and Yuma even hears Astral join in, but then Kotori gasps, “And your boyfriend is right behind him!”

Yuma lets out a yelp. “Okay, here we go! Time to take care of my man!” Then under her breath she adds, “One of them, anyway.”

“Yuma, IV’s heading right for the magma field!” Kotori cries.

Yuma groans. “Ryoga’s gonna follow him right into it and be at a disadvantage because of his water deck! For god’s sake, that boy drives me up a wall!”

In her anger, she accidentally blunders into a trap—but it’s a good trap. She can do a coin toss, and regain life points if she tosses heads.

“I’m gonna do it.” She holds out her hand a coin materializes. “KATTOBINGU!”

It’s heads—she recovers 2000 life points.

“WOOHOO!” She screams. She sits back down and takes off, but not for Ryoga.

“Where are we going?” Kotori asks.

“To save ass and kick it, too!” Yuma says.

She comes up on Gauche and Chris just as Chris is about to send Gauche to kingdom come. She blocks Chris’ attack, and though she can tell she pisses Chris off for daring to affect his life points, the mop-headed kidnapper doesn’t retaliate, instead taking a sudden turn.

Yuma brings her coaster to a halt.

“What are you doing?” Gauche demands, “Why aren’t you going after V?”

Yuma twists around. “Mind your own business,” she says. “You saved my butt, and I saved yours. Now there’s a trap—” she points in the direction, “That way, which can give you back life points if you toss a coin and get heads. You might want to try your luck at it.” She puts her coaster back in gear. “Good luck!” She yells as she and Kotori take off.

“Heart burning!” Mr. Heartland screams about something.

“Every time he says that, you take a drink,” Yuma says. Then she realizes, “Oh…Tron took out three people, and Thomas and my boyfriend each took out another. Now there’s eight people left.” She throws her hands up. “Okay, so maybe the planning was a little better than I initially thought.”

Kotori clicks through the map. “Yuma, Droite is dueling Tron!”

“Where?” Yuma demands.

“The jungle field!”

So Yuma heads to the jungle field. She may not be on good terms with Droite, but this woman clearly doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.

 

* * *

 

 Yuma arrives in the jungle field and tells Kotori to stay with the coaster—she doesn’t need Tron getting his evil eyes on her. Yuma approaches the duel just in time to hear Droite say that she’ll never allow Tron to get near Kite, because she loves Kite too much to see his beautiful smile snuffed out by the likes of someone like Tron.

Yuma ducks behind a tree and holds her hand over her heart. Droite…is in love with Kite? Does Kite feel the same? Not from what she’s seen of Kite, who doesn’t seem to love anyone but his brother. Yuma feels like her heart is breaking…how sad, to be in love with someone to the point that you’d face a monster like Tron, but not have your feeling reciprocated.

“Oh,” Tron says, “How about I steal your memories, Ms. Droite?”

Yuma bursts out from behind the tree in time to see some kind of light fly from Tron’s eyes and hit Droite squarely in the face. She gets a dazed look about her, and her eyes become glassy.

Yuma races to Droite’s side and shakes her. “Snap out of it, woman!” She screams. “That gremlin has no power over you! Say it, tell him he has no power over you! You have to go on for Kite’s sake!”

Droite blinks, and her eyes refocus. “Kite,” she says fiercely. She shoves Yuma aside, and attacks Tron once more.

Unfortunately, her fighting spirit doesn’t last. Tron sets the jungle on fire, breaks Droite’s spirit, and steals her memories anyway.

Yuma barely manages to catch Droite as she falls to the ground. Tron walks off, saying that memories of love aren’t tasty at all, and warns Yuma that he’ll consume her heart next. Yuma ignores the gremlin in favor of easing Droite to the ground. Her hair is a mess, so Yuma combs her fingers through it.

“Easy now,” Yuma says softly. “You’re okay.” Droite looks much younger than Yuma originally thought.

Droite takes Yuma’s hand and squeezes it feebly. “Tell him…not to forget me,” she whispers.

Yuma presses Droite’s hand to her cheek. “Don’t you worry,” she says, “I’ll make sure he never forgets you.”

Droite’s head falls back and her eyes close. Yuma lays her on the ground and arranges her hands over her stomach. She doesn’t know what else to do, and can only hope someone will come get her. It’s not as if Yuma can take Droite into her own duel coaster.

“You’ve done all you can,” Astral says, his hands on Yuma’s shoulders.

Yuma nods and stands up. She walks back to the duel coaster and Kotori.

“What happened?” Kotori asks.

Yuma shakes her head. “I have a message to pass on to Kite,” she says. “So Ryoga is going to have to wait a while.”

 

* * *

 

The space field is absolutely bonkers. As soon as Yuma enters it, her duel coaster goes haywire and she can’t control it. The coaster crashes onto the duel field, and Yuma grabs on to Kotori as they fall, surrounded by smoke and dust. When the debris clear, Kite and Chris are staring down at them.

Yuma sits up and rubs her head. She glares at Chris. “You know, hair that long is dangerous on a rollercoaster, your whole head could get yanked off.” She gets to her feet and walks up to Kite. “I’ve got news for you,” she says. “Droite is gone.”

Kite blinks at her. “Gone?” He repeats.

Yuma nods. “Tron…he defeated her, and he did something horrible to her. Took her memories, or something, I don’t know how it’s possible.” She grabs Kite by his collar and shakes him. “She was in love with you, her last word was your name,” she says through tears, “Why weren’t you there for her?!”

“You don’t know everything!” Kite snaps. “I…she had someone else. Someone who loved her more than I ever could.”

Yuma stares at him. “Who?” She asks.

Kite takes Yuma’s hands. “I know how she felt about me, but she was wrong to. She was in love with someone I could never be, I was waiting for her to realize it, and to see that there was someone better for her.” He stares into Yuma’s eyes. “Someone who was always by her side.”

It takes a second, but Yuma realizes who Kite is talking about. Still…

“She wanted to keep you from facing Tron, because she wanted you to keep smiling,” Yuma says, shaking herself free of Kite’s grasp. “Rather than push her away, you should have just been honest with her. She’s gone now and—” Yuma breaks off as she sobs. She covers her mouth and turns away from Kite. Kotori puts her arms over Yuma’s shoulders.

“Tsukumo Yuma,” Chris says softly. “Kazuma’s daughter, and Faker and Tron’s sons. Here we all are, gathered in one place. It must be fate.”

“There’s no such thing as fate!” Yuma screams, “And I’ve got a bone to pick with you—just who the hell do you think you are that you have the right to say my father’s name?! How dare you?! You child-stealing bastard, Kite’s going to wipe the floor with that stupid hair of yours and make you pay for what you did to Hart!” She raises her fists. “But not before I kick your ass for what you said. My father is in Astral world?! I don’t believe a word out of your mouth!”

“Yuma, shut up,” Kite snaps, “We were in the middle of a duel and I would like very much to get back to it! Shouldn’t you be fighting your own duel?”

“Kite,” Chris says, calm for someone who Yuma just threw insults at, “This story concerns you, too. Don’t you want to know why Tron was interested in Hart?”

Kite grinds his teeth together so loud Yuma can hear it. Chris seems to take that as the okay to carry on.

“Five years ago, my father, Byron Arclight, was partnered with Dr. Faker in the search for alternate realities. They heard of an explorer, Tsukumo Kazuma, who claimed to have gone to another world. They managed to get Kazuma to agree to a meeting, where they pooled their knowledge. My father and Faker thought they had created an algorithm to find the gateway to the alternate worlds, but Kazuma told them that their algorithm was missing pieces. Together, the three of them found the doorway to the alternate worlds, and they made plans to go to the doorway.”

Doorway…Yuma thinks back to the dreams and visions she’s had over the past few months, of a giant door that promised her great power in exchange for the thing she loved most.

“What happened next was told to me by my father when he returned to us,” Chris continues. “They journeyed for three days to find the doorway. They passed through ancient ruins, with Kazuma guiding them past traps and pitfalls. Finally, they reached the doorway to the other realities, and it was then that Faker showed his true colors. He pushed Kazuma and my father to a dead end, they were enveloped in light, and Faker revealed that the only way to open the door to the other reality was to sacrifice two souls to the door. Kazuma tried to save himself and my father, but in the end, they both fell.” Chris closes his eyes. “My father wandered the alternate world, feeding off of his thoughts of revenge, and while it kept him alive, it changed him, physically and mentally. He became what you see today.” Chris opens his eyes again, and glowers at Kite and Yuma. “And that’s why I will have my revenge at all costs!”

“SO YOU KIDNAPPED HART?!” Yuma shrieks. She actually shoves Kite away and gets up in Chris’ face. “Tron is psychotic, a shell, and if what I’ve heard about Byron Arclight is true, then Tron is not Byron Arclight. The man your father was would be ashamed of what Tron is, and what you—” She shoves Chris hard, “Have become by following his orders. I said the same thing to your brother when he came to see me, and he wanted to actually do something to make up for what he did. Michael thought that by sacrificing himself, he would make you wake up, but apparently not!”

She can tell Chris is shaken. She shoves him again. “How dare you lay your hands on Hart?” She screams. “He trusted you to take him back to his brother! You brought him to Tron instead and let him be hurt! You stood by and watched while Hart screamed in pain! You’re a monster, your family are monsters!”

Chris grabs Yuma’s shoulders and squeezes. “If Faker had never betrayed him, I’d still have a family!”

Yuma twists out of his grasp. “Cool motive, still illegal!” She screams. “You don’t see me torturing little kids, do you?! You disgust me.” She turns to Kite. “Have you got anything to add?”

Kite holds out his arm. “Move aside, I have a duel to finish.”

Yuma shrugs. “Eh, not what I was going for, but fine.”

But any chance of Kite’s victory seems dashed when Chris summons Numbers 9, Dyson Sphere.

“A monster so big is covers the sun itself,” Chris says as the behemoth rises behind him. “That ability alone makes it without match. All attacks are useless.”

Yuma, who has been gaping at the machine, snaps back to her senses. “BULLCRAP!” She screams, making everyone jump. “It’s a hologram you mophead! Good god, it can’t actually cover the sun! Besides, the bigger they are the harder they fall!”

Chris ignores her. “When Dyson Sphere has overlay units attached, it negates all attacks.”

Okay, so maybe Yuma spoke too soon.

“But I know it’s effect now!” Kite says.

“Oh, do you?” Chris asks, tauntingly. “Don’t forget that I know how you think. You learned all you know from me, after all.”

Yuma’s jaw drops.

“I’m aware,” Kite says. “But I changed. Just as you think you know who I am, I thought I knew you.”

“I won’t let you stand in my way!” Chris snarls. And he proceeds to kick the ever-loving crap out of Kite. He’s blown backwards by his own attack, skids across the floor, and lands in a crumpled heap. Yuma and Kotori scream in horror.

“You only have 200 life points left,” Chris says. “You should just give up.”

“SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!” Yuma shrieks at Chris. She dashes across the field and kneels by Kite’s side. “Come on, stand up,” she says, grabbing Kite’s arm and hauling him to his feet.

“I don’t need your pity,” Kite hisses.

“Fuck you,” Yuma says. “It’s not pity.” Then she flinches. “Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t curse at you. Of course you wouldn’t know friendship when it smacks you across the face, because your last friend was a FUCKING SENTIENT MOP!” She screeches the last part in Chris’ direction.

“How shocking,” Chris says. “You treat Kite as a friend. He’s the son of the man who took your father from you, and he’s a Numbers hunter.”

“I know who Kite is!” Yuma growls. “I know what he is. He’s a boy who loves his brother with all his heart, who was lied to and pushed into a corner by people like you, who were bigger, stronger, and more powerful than he was. I don’t give a damn about Kite’s relationship to Dr. Faker. Kite had nothing to do with any of that and neither did Hart! What the hell are you in this tournament for?!” She throws her arms out. “Do you see Dr. Faker here? I only see his son, and if we judge all kids by the sins of their parents, then boy do you have shit to answer for! I judge you, and I hate you, but I did that before I knew about your father, because you showed me your true colors when you took Hart. You show them to me now, as you berate Kite and put him down in the name of vengeance, a vengeance that has nothing to do with Kite. I hate your father, you, and Thomas, and I hated Michael too, until he came to me and apologized, and showed me that he wanted to be better than his family. I forgave Michael, and I forgive Kite, too.”

She turns to Kite. “Actually, you never did apologize to me for scaring the crap out of me that one night in the rain, or for hacking my key, or for yelling at me outside the museum. But you watched Labyrinth for me so I guess that makes us even.”

Kite’s mouth twitches the way that it does when he tries not to smile. Yuma laughs and leans into him, slinging her arm around his shoulders and tugging him down. “After all that, do you still not see that you’re my friend?”

Kite bites his lip. “I still don’t know what will become of Hart, if I’ll need the Numbers to save him…”

“Hey, none of that,” Yuma scolds, knocking her knuckles gently on the side of Kite’s head. “What did we learn about the Numbers? Besides, according to this jerk, Hart’s power is gone, I know we can’t exactly trust him, but if that’s the case, then all Hart needs to do is open his eyes.”

“True,” Kite agrees, “But it does seem rather hopeless in that respect.”

“There’s no such thing as hopelessness,” Yuma says. “I believe in you the same way I believe in Hart, and Rio, and Ryoga.” She gently wipes a bit of dirt off Kite’s cheek. “You must have been so hurt by Chris. What happened, that made him go from your teacher to your enemy?”

Kite glowers. “He left. I followed him into the rain, I begged him to tell me why, but he never did. He pushed me aside and left me there…”

And something in his voice makes Yuma’s heart stop. She thinks she gets it now. She backs away from Kite and lets him fight.

But he’s thrown back again, down to 100 life points after another ruthless attack. And Chris taunts him further.

“Give up, and you’ll be released from all pain—pain of being a Numbers hunter, of having a brother like Hart.”

Yuma’s jaw damn near hits the floor. “OOOOOH!” She screams, “NOW YOU FUCKED UP! Now ya fucked up! NOW you have fucked up! You have fucked up now!”

“I have never,” Kite says, “In my life, thought of Hart as causing me pain. He’s my only reason to live and I won’t let you be the one to keep us apart!”

Yuma laughs, “Now you fucked up, now you fucked up, now you fucked up, now you fucked up, now you fucked up, NOW YOU HAVE FUCKED UP!”

And Kite plays a card that his father gave him.

Chris is shocked. “You hate your father but use a card that he gave you?” He glares. “How could you?”

Yuma scoffs. “For all you talk about family, you ought to know the answer to that one.”

Kite summons Neo-Galaxy eyes, and he powers it up to something terrifying. And with that power, he attacks Numbers 9. Watching the great beast fall is…amazing. It’s horrific, but beautiful. There’s something poetic in the destruction of something so huge and invincible-looking. In one attack, Kite decimates Chris’ life points, and beats him.

Chris lies on the ground, and Yuma and Kite approach him.

“So, this is your strength?” Chris asks Kite. “I see.” He sighs. “Kite, I tried to stop my father, but his heart was consumed with rage and I wasn’t strong enough.” He laughs sadly. “I guess I follow him because…the bond between parent and child is inescapable.”

“You’re wrong,” Kite says. “I fight my father every day of my life, and someday I’ll make him pay for what he did.” He looks up and meets Yuma’s eyes. “For what he did to all of those he hurt.”

“So, you’ve become that strong?” Chris asks. A swirling mass of galaxy-print opens up in the ground under him, and as he disappears he whispers, “I’m sorry.”

For a moment, Yuma and Kite stare at the empty ground. Then Yuma sits back and looks up at the space field’s sky, where stars glimmer. “I’m not sure I forgive him,” she says. “It’s kind of cheating, to say sorry and then disappear.”

“Yuma…” Kite says, “Do you truly think of me as a friend?”

Yuma frowns. “Do I have to kiss you for you to believe me?”

Kite rolls his eyes. “No.”

Yuma takes his hand. “Listen, we’ll find a way to help Hart without the Numbers. But first, let’s get Tron out of the way, yeah?”

Kite nods. He seems to hesitate for a moment, then he says, haltingly, “I really am sorry. For what I put you through.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Oh wow,” she says. “Well…I forgive you.”

Kite nods. His duel coaster materializes, and Yuma’s appears as well. Kite hops in his coaster and takes off, but Yuma stares at her own coaster in shock.

“I don’t know what’s more surprising,” she says. “That thing showing up out of nowhere, or Kite giving me a genuine apology.”

Kotori elbows Yuma. “I’m more surprised that Chris didn’t seem to know you and Kite had already teamed up,” she whispers.

Yuma grins. “And that means it’s working.”

“So, what now?” Kotori asks.

“I still want to find my other boyfriend,” Yuma says. “I guess then I’ll go find Gauche, since he’s the only person I assume who still needs to duel.”

“I meant more long term,” Kotori says. “What are you going to do about Hart?”

Yuma climbs into her duel coaster and Kotori follows her. “As for that,” Yuma says as she puts the coaster in gear, “I’m thinking I find Dr. Faker, tell him that he killed my father and he needs to die, get him to point me in the direction of the Barian that he dealt with, find the Barian, challenge it to a game of wits with Hart’s health on the line, and then stump the Barian by asking it what I have in my pocket.”

Kotori frowns. “That’s not a plan, that’s just a bunch of movie references strung together!”

“Hey, I’m still working on making it through this tournament!” Yuma says, “Give me a break on the finer details of the future!”

The two of them coast through the tunnels, and Kotori glances at Yuma. “By the way…do you have a crush on Kite?”

Yuma almost chokes. “Whaaa? Girl, how many boys do you think I need in my life?”

Kotori shrugs. “I’m not judging, just asking. You offered to kiss him, and from the way you looked at him, you seem to be, I don’t know, really invested in him.”

Yuma shakes her head. “I was kidding about the kiss, I knew he’d never agree. I am invested, but I don’t think in a romantic way. I don’t wanna join that messy triangle. Or maybe it’s a square.”

“Square?” Kotori repeats.

“Sure, Droite likes Kite, Gauche likes Droite, and Kite doesn’t like anyone because Chris broke his heart.”

“WHAT?!” Kotori yelps, “How do you know Kite liked Chris?”

“Didn’t you hear the pain in Kite’s voice when he talked about how Chris used to be his teacher? And when he said he ran after Chris, hoping for an explanation, only to be left alone in the rain?” Yuma shakes her head. “I don’t know if it was like, hero-worship or a first crush kind of love, but Kite had some sort of love for Chris, and he got his heart broken. So if you ask me, Chris owes him a better apology.” Yuma glances at the map and aims her duel coaster for Ryoga and Thomas. “And that’s why I’m not involving myself in all that mess. Even if Kite does have the most fantastic butt I’ve ever seen on a man.”

She and Kotori grin at each other. Yuma knows she’s about to throw herself into even more heartbreak, so she relishes the moment of levity before she has to watch Ryoga face his worst enemy.


	26. Young Lovers Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryoga faces his worst nightmare, and Yuma has a few tricks up her sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fewer episodes involved this time, this is a rewrite of 57-59.

By the time Yuma and Kotori arrive at the magma field, the duel is already underway. Ryoga has a monster on his field, and Thomas has summoned the monstrosity that is Numbers 15. The field isn’t much of a magma field, though.

“Are we in the right place?” Kotori asks.

“This is Ryoga’s doing,” Yuma says. “So maybe he wasn’t being as thick-headed as I feared.” She cups her hands around her mouth and screams, “Hey, boyfriend!”

Ryoga turns to her, and Thomas freezes just as he was about to launch his attack. Yuma completely disregards the pool of magma between her and Ryoga—this is only a field spell, after all—as she runs over it and launches herself into his arms.

Ryoga catches her and hugs her tightly. “What are you doing here?” He asks. “Shouldn’t you be dueling Gauche?”

Yuma leans back, suddenly exhausted from the last two duels that she’s seen. “Ryoga, Tron did something horrible to Droite. He took her memories, and she passed out, I don’t know if she’ll even be okay, if she’ll wake up and have amnesia or if she’ll even wake up at all. And then, I watched Kite duel Chris, I mean V, I mean, oh whatever you want to call him, and Kite won but oh my god Ryoga, it was so painful to watch. Chris was so cruel and he told me horrible things about my dad…”

“Yuma,” Ryoga says firmly. “Breathe.”

Yuma inhales deeply, then she whimpers and puts her head on Ryoga’s shoulder. “I’m so tired.”

Ryoga pats her back. “And now you’re here, knowing full well I’m about to face the man we blame for Rio’s accident,” he says quietly.

“Well I can’t let you go through that alone, can I?” Yuma asks. “I mean, at least I had Astral and Kotori with me for the last two nightmares.”

Ryoga chuckles. “Oh you, always thinking of others.”

“EXCUSE ME!” Thomas screams from across the field, “If you two are done sucking face, I’d like to get back to the duel.”

“We’re not sucking face!” Yuma and Ryoga scream at him.

Yuma continues, “And in case you were wondering, Chris got knocked out of the tournament.” Remembering what Thomas said to Ryoga last week, she spits at Thomas, “By the way, how’s your precious little brother doing?”

Thomas glowers at Yuma. “You bitch,” he spits. “Get out of the way if you don’t want to suffer the same pain I’m about to deliver to your boyfriend.”

Yuma looks at Ryoga, and he nods. “Go on,” he says. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Yuma kisses him and backs away. She pats her pockets—did she bring it? Did she—yes!

Kotori suddenly grabs Yuma’s arm—she must have followed Yuma’s lead and run over the phony magma. “I’ve got service here,” she whispers, showing Yuma her phone. “Tetsuo says that the cameras have gone down shortly after all the duels began, including this one! He says that they saw IV summon Numbers 15, and they saw the start of Droite and Kite’s duels, but nothing after the first turn, basically.”

“Did they see me in any of the duels?” Yuma asks. She flinches as Thomas destroys Ryoga’s Xyz monster.

“Actually, Tetsuo wants to know where you are and why you’re not dueling,” Kotori says.

Ryoga blocks a direct attack from Numbers 15, and Yuma cheers for him. “You go, Ryoga!” She turns back to Kotori and mutters, “Tell him I’m in a corner making out with my boyfriend, but don’t tell him which one.”

“Which corner or which boyfriend?” Kotori asks. “Because I’m pretty sure that together, our friends will realize it’s not Ryoga you’re talking about. They did see him starting a duel, after all.”

“Eh, let them wonder if Ryoga and I would really stop a duel to make out,” Yuma says as Ryoga’s field spell card expires and the heat returns. “Not like they don’t already think I’m a freak, let them wonder if Ryoga is, too.”

Yuma doesn’t actually know if Kotori sends that text, because shortly thereafter, Ryoga summons Numbers 32. She’s worried about him, but Ryoga seems to be in control of his actions, if his dueling is anything to go by.

“Why would Ryoga re-summon the monster he just destroyed to Thomas’ field?” Kotori asks.

“Because of Shark Drake’s ability,” Yuma answers. “He can attack again, and if it goes through, he’ll win.”

But of course, nothing is ever that easy, so the attack doesn’t end up going through.

Ryoga ends his turn, and Thomas suddenly whirls around and shouts, “I know that!!”

Yuma squints at the air behind Thomas. Has he truly cracked this time?

“I know what I have to do!” Thomas screams, “Everything I’ve done until now I’ve done because you ordered it, why would you think I’ve forgotten, father?!”

Father?! Yuma looks around, frantically searching for Tron in the fiery landscape.

“Where are you, Tron?!” Ryoga demands.

Tron pops up in front of Ryoga. “Boo,” the gremlin says.

“Bastard!” Ryoga screams, lunging forward, only for Tron to vanish.

“He’s playing games with you!” Yuma screams at Ryoga, “Don’t fall for it!”

“What are you doing, Tron?” Astral mutters.

“Very well,” says a high-pitched voice. “There’s no point in hiding it. I’ll tell all of you.”

And Tron materializes in front of Yuma, but he also materializes in front of Astral, Kotori, Ryoga and Thomas. Kotori lets out a frightened cry and Yuma steps in front of her.

“The reason I want Ryoga’s heart consumed by darkness, is so I can make my puppet,” Tron says in his sing-song tone made all the more terrifying by the words that leave his mouth, “And personally use him to assassinate Dr. Faker.”

“Assassinate?!” Yuma and Kotori scream at the same time.

“Piss off!” Ryoga orders the image of Tron. “I’ll never let you control me.”

“Whether you want it or not,” Tron says, “You’ll have no choice. You will be mine.”

Yuma shudders. “Oh, ew, ew, ew,” she says. “Creep!”

“Why?!” Thomas demands. “My brothers and I have given you all we have, why won’t you let one of us be the ones to take revenge for you?!”

“Because you don’t stand a chance,” Tron says. “Ryoga is a far better choice than you will ever be. You’ve played your part, IV. Ryoga has his own part to play.”

“I’ll show you that you’re wrong!” Thomas shouts, and he begins his turn.

“Unbelievable,” Yuma says, “Thomas is fighting to kill someone. Of all the illegalities I’ve witnessed in my life, this is the most illegal.”

But what should be even more illegal is the series of attacks that Thomas launches against Ryoga—eight attacks, without destroying Shark Drake, that will hit him consecutively. After the second attack lands, Yuma tries to run to Ryoga’s side, but Tron performs some kind of trick that leaves her bound with chains. She falls over onto her side, and Kotori kneels next to her.

“Oh, I am so going to sue you for everything you have,” Yuma tells Tron through gritted teeth. “Kotori, take a picture of this!”

“I can’t have you interfering,” Tron says to Yuma. “Be a good girl and watch from here.”

Ryoga screams in pain. Yuma shuts her eyes. “Ryoga had nothing to do with this!” She screams, “Why are you making him suffer? What the hell is wrong with you, you twisted little creature?!”

Tron laughs. “Yes, Yuma! Hate me, hate me, hate me! Let darkness overtake your heart, it’ll make it that much more tasty when I consume it.”

Yuma opens her eyes again. “Oh, ew to the max,” she says, looking up at Tron. “Cannibalism is not cool.”

Tron vanishes with a giggle once more.

“Yuma!” Astral cries, “Ryoga is struggling against the control of the Number!”

Yuma looks at Ryoga—he’s sitting up, but his eyes are glazed over. She writhes against the chains and they seem to tighten. She lets out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush, and which certainly make Kotori’s face flame as she helps Yuma to get up on her knees.

Yuma leans forward and screams, “YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE!”

Ryoga blinks rapidly and lifts his head. The glazed look fades from his eyes, and he rushes to Yuma’s side. He yanks on the chains around her torso, and he snarls, “I’ll kill that bastard with my bare hands.”

“No, idiot,” Yuma snaps, “That’s not the next line!”

Ryoga looks at her incredulously. “Really?”

“It snapped you out of the Numbers funk, didn’t it?” Yuma asks. “Now don’t you worry about me and Tron’s kinks, go kick that psychopath’s ass.”

Ryoga’s face softens, and he kisses Yuma’s forehead. “Remember, he has no power over us,” Ryoga whispers to her.

Yuma misses the majority of Ryoga’s turn as she struggles to free herself from the chains. She chants “you have no power over me” under her breath, she asks Kotori to find a lock that she could pick, but of course there isn’t one, because there’s no logic to this at all. Finally she rolls around in the dirt kicking her legs into the air and cursing under her breath.

Suddenly, the chains vanish. Yuma thrashes briefly, then sits up. “What the fuck?!” She demands.

Kotori grabs Yuma by the shoulders. “Tron snapped his fingers and they vanished,” she says.

And currently, Tron is taunting Thomas about his success in this duel being all about luck, and how it’s bound to run out. He says that Thomas has always been different from his brothers, more hotheaded and impulsive, and he needs to think things over calmly, if he’s even capable of such a thing.

“Ouch,” Yuma says. “I mean he’s not wrong, but that’s a harsh way for a dad to talk to his son.”

“And it’s even truer in this moment,” Astral adds. “Thomas could, as you would say, Yuma, ‘royally fuck this up.’”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Oh my god!” She screams, making Kotori jump. “Guys! Astral just said ‘fuck!’ Oh my god I’ve corrupted him!”

Across the lava field, Thomas falls to his knees. “Father!” He cries.

Yuma, Astral, Kotori, and Ryoga all turn to him. Thomas’ shoulders shake, and he sounds defeated as he says, “I’ve done all of this in hopes that in the end, you would be my loving father once more. Why can’t you trust me? I did everything for you. I entered this tournament, I incriminated Ryoga, and Rio…”

“SHUT UP!” Yuma and Ryoga shout together.

“Even if you were ordered by Tron,” Ryoga continues, “It doesn’t excuse your actions against Rio! You have to answer for what you did!”

“And I don’t plan on running from you!” Thomas screams. “We’ll settle this here and now!”

Thomas’ dueling becomes risky and erratic, to the point that even Astral questions what he’s thinking.

“Why risk everything he has if there was a card like that in his hand?” Astral asks as Thomas makes his next move. “If he had a chance to land a better attack…”

“This is what Tron was talking about,” Yuma says. “Astral, this is what humans are like. When we become too emotional, we make stupid mistakes. You’ve seen me do it, but in this case…Thomas isn’t just losing control of his emotions.” A shudder runs down her spine for the umpteenth time in the day, and she hugs her arms to herself. “We’re watching him loose his mind,” she whispers.

But Thomas reveals his ultimate trump card, Numbers 88.

“He had another Number?” Astral gasps.

Thomas giggles. “When Numbers 88 detaches its’ last overlay unit, I will win automatically.”

Ryoga clenches his jaw. “I can’t lose like this,” he whispers. “Not against the man who hurt my sister.”

“You don’t have to lose,” comes Tron’s voice. He appears in front of Ryoga, hands out. “After all, only a Number can defeat a Number, and you have a Number. You can still win.”

“Why are you on his side?!” Thomas yells. “Don’t you want me to win, father?!”

“It doesn’t matter if you win or not,” Tron says. “You’ve served your purpose. And soon, you’ll be able to rest, just like your brothers.” Tron turns back to Ryoga. “Shark Drake is calling you…it’s calling you. Become one with the Number, and you can have everything you desire.”

“I can have…my revenge…” Ryoga pants, his voice strained. He clutches his chest, where a red light glows from between his fingers.

Yuma hoped Ryoga could defeat the Numbers’ influence on his own, but Tron is speaking for the Number, giving it a voice and making it that much more powerful. It’s unfair, but Yuma can balance it. She’ll just speak for Ryoga and his heart.

Yuma takes a steps towards Ryoga.  _“There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes,”_  She sings.  _“A kind of pale jewel, open and closed within your eyes. I'll place the sky within your eyes.”_

Ryoga blinks rapidly. Yuma kneels in front of him and places her hands on his cheeks. Ryoga squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth.

“Go away, child!” Tron screams.

Yuma presses her forehead against Ryoga’s.  _“As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you. Every thrill is gone, wasn't too much fun at all, but I'll be there for you…As the world falls down.”_

Ryoga gasps for air like a man emerging from the depths of the ocean.  He opens his eyes, his beautiful, clear, focused eyes. Yuma kisses him, and he clings to her. Somewhere behind them, Tron is screaming.

“Not for revenge,” Yuma whispers, her lips pressed to Ryoga’s cheek, “For love. There is a way to win with Shark Drake, but you don’t have to give your heart to the number, for your revenge. Do you trust me, do you have faith in me?”

Ryoga closes his eyes and nods. “Yes, I trust you.”

Yuma whispers into his ear. “Chaos Xyz change. Focus on how much you love Rio, how much you want to show her the kind of person you’ve become. Revenge is a tool only to a certain point, but love is everlasting.”

Yuma stands and backs away. Ryoga gets to his feet and releases the face-down monster on his field. He brings Shark Drake back to the field, and he stares the monster down.

“You will serve me,” Ryoga tells the monster, “But you will not control me.” Ryoga smirks. “As the saying goes—you have no power over me.”

Yuma sobs—she’s so happy, and so proud. Ryoga levels up Shark Drake with a Chaos Xyz change. Purple rain falls from the sky, and the red glow fades from Ryoga’s chest. Shark Drake reemerges, as Shark Drake Vice.

“How?!” Tron and Thomas scream.

“Indeed, how?” Astral asks.

Yuma smiles at Astral through her tears. “The last two times we performed a Chaos change, it was because I was feeling so much love and strength, that the Number seemed to call out to my soul. My love for my friends, or for you, Astral. I don’t know if it’s just love that makes it work, but it’s the most positive emotion in the world. Ryoga is a strong duelist after all, I figured he should be able to do it.”

And Ryoga uses his new monster to steal Number 88’s attack strength and use it as his own. He wins, bringing the great Number crashing to the ground.

Tron snarls and sends a wave of light at Ryoga, knocking him back. Yuma gasps, and Tron turns to her.

“You,” the gremlin snarls, “We’ll see just how far love gets you in the finals,” and then he vanishes, just as before, in a shower of glitter and galaxy print.

Yuma rushes to Ryoga’s side and helps him sit up. The magma field disappears, revealing an ordinary duel stadium.

“You okay?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga grins at her. “I have the image of David Bowie burned into the backs of my eyelids.”

Yuma laughs and kisses her boyfriend’s cheek. “As it should be.”

“Ryoga,” Thomas says softly.

Yuma and Ryoga both snap to attention at the sound of his voice. They walk over to him and stand close together.

“Ryoga…Yuma…” Thomas says, “I’m sorry for what I did to Rio.”

“Bullshit,” Ryoga spits. “Why apologize now, after everything you’ve done? Using her injuries to taunt me, and Yuma…you’re only sorry now?”

Thomas shakes his head. “I followed my father’s orders because I just wanted him to go back to how he used to be. When he gave me that card and told me to use it against her, I had no idea that it would start the fire the way it did.” He closes his eyes and bows his head. “I tried to save her…”

Yuma blurts, “And she wouldn’t have needed saving if you had just been smart and not listened to the thing that calls itself your father and clearly isn’t!” She cries.

“Maybe so,” Thomas says.

“Definitely so,” Astral and Kotori whisper.

“But he was all I had,” Thomas continues.

Yuma opens her mouth, but Ryoga squeezes her hand and gives her a Look. Yuma closes her mouth.

Thomas seems to be running out of energy. “Ryoga, Yuma, if you need someone to hate, then hate me. Please, please save my father. And tell him that I’ll be waiting for him, along with my brothers.”

And then just like the rest of them, Thomas vanishes.

There’s a moment of silence, then Yuma mutters, “Cool motive, still attempted murder.” She turns to Ryoga. “Why didn’t you let me finish telling him off?”

“It’s like you said,” Ryoga tells her, “He was losing his mind. He was out of the tournament anyway, does it really matter what he thinks anymore?”

Yuma purses her lips, but before she can say anything, Ryoga leans over and kisses her. Yuma is surprised, but she’s not complaining.

“What was that for?” She asks when Ryoga leans back.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he says.

Yuma feels herself blushing, and Kotori lets out a squeal. “Oooh, that’s so going on my blog!”

Yuma whirls around. “You took a picture?!” She cries.

Kotori winks. “Maybe.”

Yuma runs to her, “Lemme see! I’ve never seen myself kissing anyone, did it look good?”

“Don’t you dare put that online!” Ryoga cries.

Yuma laughs. “That’s okay, I’ve got something that’s going to make bigger waves.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her audio recorder. “The chains didn’t affect it,” she says, giddy. She presses fast-forward, then play, and Tron’s creepy voice recites,

 _“The reason I want Ryoga’s heart consumed by darkness, is so I can make my puppet,”_  Tron says in his sing-song tone made all the more terrifying by the words that leave his mouth,  _“And personally use him to assassinate Dr. Faker.”_

Kotori’s jaw drops. “You…you recorded all of that?!”

Yuma nods, and she hands the audio recorder to Kotori. “And now you need to get it to my sister, as soon as freaking possible. Ryoga’s duel coaster is probably going out of this hellscape, so you go with him. You’ll probably miss my duel but this is super important and part of our duel-gang pact.”

Kotori clicks her heels together and salutes. “Yes, Ma’am!” She says sternly. “I will not delay!”

“I’m staying with you,” Ryoga says to Yuma.

“As much as I would love that,” Yuma says honestly, “I feel like even Heartland would consider that cheating.”

“You’ve been watching duels this whole time,” Ryoga says.

“Yeah, but I didn’t win my one-on-one yet,” Yuma tells him.

Ryoga has the audacity to pout. “Aw, c’mon,” he whines. “Don’t you want both your boyfriends cheering you on?”

Yuma lets out a strangled yelp and covers her face. “Argh, don’t you dare get cute on me!” She screeches.

“If Heartland forbids it, he forbids it,” Astral says, nudging Yuma. “You can try.”

“Oh, you’re ganging up on me now?” Yuma cries. She throws her hands up. “Okay, fine, let’s get this show on the road. Coaster track, rather.”

Yuma sees that Kotori is safely on her way before she climbs back into her own duel coaster. When she and Ryoga take off, Yuma suddenly realizes something.

“Crap in a bucket!” She hisses, “I don’t think Gauche knows about Droite, and he’s in love with her!”

“What?!” Ryoga cries, “What makes you think that?”

“Kite pretty much told me as much!” Yuma yells back. She avoids a trap point. “Crap, crap, craaaap! What am I supposed to do? Should I tell him or not?”

“You won’t get to tell him anything if you don’t avoid these traps!” Ryoga shouts.

“I can’t avoid that one!” Yuma screams—there’s one on the track right in front of her. Her life points take a blow. “Ah, I hate everything!” Yuma screams.

 

* * *

 

 Kotori is wound tight like a spring. The duel coaster glides into the dock, and employees are waiting, but they’re shocked to see Kotori.

“You’re…” One woman starts, but the seatbelt has disengaged.

“KATTOBINGU!” Kotori shrieks. She dashes past the employees, out the door, through a hallway, and out another door into fresh air. She’s briefly disoriented—so bright, where the hell is she anyway?—but she quickly reorients herself and takes off running in the direction of Yuma’s house, audio recorder in hand.

 

* * *

 

Yuma finally arrives at the canyon field, and it’s full of coaster tracks.

“Oh, no fair,” she grumbles. “Everyone else got to duel standing on firm ground, I gotta duel in this death trap?”

“That’s what you get for waiting this long to face your opponent,” Ryoga says.

Yuma elbows him.

Gauche is waiting under what looks like a lean-to situated in a narrow ravine, with a cow skull strung over it. Very gaudy, very historically inaccurate.

“I’ve been waiting,” Gauche says as Yuma’s duel coaster rolls into the stop.

“Well, excuse the heck out of me,” Yuma grumps.

Gauche raises his eyes at Ryoga. “Switched out your company, did you?”

“Yeah,” Yuma says. “And listen, there’s something I’ve gotta tell you,” she unbuckles her seatbelt and starts to rise, but stops when Gauche holds out his hand.

“No way!” Gauche says with a laugh. “I’ve been waiting for this duel, Ms. Yuma, and I’m not waiting anymore! Let’s go, I’ll beat you and take the original Number!”

Yuma stares at Gauche blankly. “What…what the heck do you want Numbers 17 for?”

Gauche stares at Yuma, and Ryoga mutters, “He means Astral.”

“AW HELL NO!” Yuma cries, “YOU AIN’T TAKING ASTRAL FROM ME, YA HEAR?!”

Ryoga shakes his head. “Just focus on your dueling and he won’t,” he tells her.

Yuma and Gauche start the duel, with Gauche calling dibs on the first move. To Yuma’s shock, the field that they’re in causes them to lose life points each time they summon or use a monster to attack. And thanks to that trap from earlier, she’s already low on life points. But to her further shock, Gauche plays a trap that restores her life points to full capacity.

“Whaaaaaat?!” Yuma cries.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Gauche says with a chortle, “I just wanted the other effect—to draw two cards. And I must admit, it’s not my nature to hunt down those weaker than myself.”

“Why you—” Yuma says through gritted teeth. “What are you playing at?!”

“Calm down,” Ryoga says.

“I AM CALM!” Yuma screams.

Ryoga and Astral let out identical sighs, and Yuma says under her breath, “Oh now both of you get to judge me. Whatever, I’m doing this my way.”

And for the first few turns, she plays it safe. She takes as little damage from the field spell as she can, all while trying to fend off Gauche’s attacks. She Xyz summons Gagaga Cowboy, and gives Gauche some damage without taking any on her own.

“That was a cheap trick,” Gauche growls. “Are you going to hide behind your cards this whole time?! I didn’t want such a boring duel!”

Yuma slams her hands down on the duel coaster dashboard. “I ain’t hiding behind anything!” She screeches, “This is how you play this friggin’ game!”

Ryoga takes her arm. “Yuma, you have been playing differently than you usually do. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?!” Yuma cries, “You of all people know what’s wrong!”

“But you’re not me, or Kite, or Tron,” Ryoga says. “You know why you duel.”

Yuma closes her eyes. “That was before…before…”

“Love conquers all,” Astral says. “You’re thinking of Droite, aren’t you? Wondering if love could have saved her.”

Yuma switches tracks and brings her duel coaster back to where she and Gauche started. She puts her head in her hands. “I can’t not tell him,” she says.

Ryoga pats her back. “Do what you think is best,” he says.

Gauche brings his duel coaster to a stop as well, and he starts to say something, but stops himself. “Are you crying?” He asks.

Yuma lifts her head. She does feel tears coming on. She gulps, and resolves to tell a white lie. “Gauche,” she says, “Have you been monitoring the other duels?”

Gauche scoffs. “I only care about my duels.”

Yuma bites her lip. “Then you don’t know who Droite faced?”

Gauche pauses. “Droite?” He repeats. “No, I…is she okay?”

Yuma can’t meet his eyes. “No. She faced Tron.”

Gauche sways to one side. “Tron,” he growls. “What did he do to her?!”

“Something horrible!” Yuma cries. “I was only there for the end of it, I tried to help her but Tron, he did something to make her forget things. I don’t know how much, or if she’ll get those memories back, but the last thing she said was that I should make sure she wasn’t forgotten!” Astral gives Yuma a confused look. She ignores it. “You play a heroic deck, and you tell me that I’m playing it too safe, but you are such a hypocrite! You couldn’t even take a chance at the thing that matters most in life! You think I didn’t see the way you looked at her? Why didn’t you tell her how you feel?! She would have known then that she would never be forgotten because she would always have you!” She forces herself to stop there. She’s breathing hard, near tears, and she can’t read the expression on Gauche’s face.

“Yuma…” Gauche says, “You were there for her?”

Yuma nods. “I tried to…to console her.”

“Then I’m grateful,” Gauche says with a smile. “You were there for her when I couldn’t be. And you’re right, I should have said something to her. I’ll always regret that I wasn’t brave enough to. But you—you hope to face Tron? You’ll never make it if you keep dueling the way you are. Tron wants…what did you say? Astral? Tron wants that, too.”

“Him, Astral’s a living being and identifies as male,” Yuma corrects.

“Him, then,” Gauche says. “So fight me like you mean it, show me you have what it takes to win and protect him!”

Yuma wipes her eyes and manages a shaky smile. “Okay,” she says, “Okay…let’s get this show on the road!”

And with Ryoga and Astral by her side, she gives the duel her all. She imagines her friends watching, she imagines her sister, grandma, and parents watching, and she hopes that they’re all proud of her.

In the final showdown stage of the duel, Yuma and Gauche both duel the best they can, and in the end Yuma is victorious.

Gauche smiles at her from across the field. “You did well,” he says.

“You too,” Yuma tells him. “Sorry for all the times I yelled at you.”

“Sorry I went around chasing you,” Gauche says sheepishly.

Yuma crosses the field and holds out her hand. “I forgive you,” she says. They shake hands, and Yuma asks, “So what’s next for you?”

Gauche gets a far-away look in his eyes. “Now I got find Droite and stay by her side, until she recovers, and if she’ll allow it, every day thereafter.”

Yuma squeals. “That’s so romantic!”

Gauche chuckles. “Now you take your boyfriend and go home, celebrate your victory, and get ready for tomorrow.”

“Will do!” Yuma and Ryoga vow. Hand in hand, with Astral floating over them, they head back to the duel coaster. It’s been a long day, and Yuma is tired.

“Wanna come to my place?” Yuma asks as she and Ryoga take off. “My grandma said I could invite some friends for dinner.”

Ryoga grins at her. “Sure, I’ll be there.”


	27. Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the night before the WDC finals, and there's a gremlin on the prowl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rewrite of episode 60.

Yuma can tell her friends are dying to ask her about her relationship with Ryoga and what it means for her relationship with Astral, but they wouldn’t dare ask her with Ryoga standing right there. Instead, they ask her what the heck happened to Kotori.

“She took an audio recording of Tron threatening to do illegal things to my sister,” Yuma says.

“Huh?” Takashi asks, “You mean an audio recording of Tron threatened to do illegal things in general, or illegal things to your sister?”

“The first one,” Yuma clarifies. She explains everything that went down in the duels—she’s got a long time to do so, it’s quite a walk back to her house. She skims over some of the more disturbing details, like the chains that wrapped around her body, and the more intimate ones, like all the times she kissed her boyfriend. But she finishes up by saying, “And it’s going to make Akari the top freelance reporter. I bet she’s having a field day as we speak.”

Sure enough, when they all arrive at the Tsukumo house, Akari runs right up to Yuma and hugs her tightly.

“I can’t believe I allowed you into this tournament with that thing,” Akari says, “But oh my god you have just delivered me the scoop of a lifetime!”

Yuma laughs. “You’re welcome,” she says, “Just don’t publish it until after the tournament.”

“No worries on that front,” Akari says, “I gotta attempt to interview Thomas anyway, but I have got that audio backed up and secured like the dang Imperial palace itself.”

Kotori pokes her head out of the kitchen. “Hey there!” She says, “How was the duel?”

“Oh, you know,” Yuma says, stealing a spoon out of Kotori’s hands, “I cried, I laughed, I threatened bodily harm—the usual.” She slides into the kitchen and steals a taste of soup from the stove.

“Back off!” Grandma commands, “Go wash up and wait for everything to be done!”

Yuma leads everyone to the bathroom and they all fight for elbow room at the sink. It’s funny for Yuma to watch her friends dance around Ryoga like they’ve encountered a stray cat, unsure if he’s friendly or not. Yuma flicks water at Ryoga’s face and laughs as he scowls at her.

“Fish out of water,” Yuma teases.

Ryoga throws the hand towel at her.

Akari isn’t present for dinner, she’s in her room writing up a draft of her article. Grandma pours orange juice into champagne glasses and hands them out to everyone, and Tetsuo leads them in a toast.

“To Yuma and Shark—or um, should I call you Ryoga?”

Ryoga scowls. “It’s Ryoga-san to you.”

“Right-o!” Tetsuo says nervously. “To Yuma and Ryoga-san, ganbatte!”

Everyone raises their glass and echoes the toast. Yuma wraps her arm around Ryoga’s waist and clinks their glasses together.

“What are you going to do if you have to duel each other?” Kotori asks them.

Yuma glances at Ryoga. “Give it our all,” she says, as Ryoga answers, “Throw the match.”

Tokunosuke chokes on his drink. “Ehh?” He asks.

“What he said,” Yuma says, staring down Ryoga.

“Think about it,” Ryoga says, “If we duel each other, that means Kite will duel Tron. I can’t begin to guess who will win that, but both of them are Numbers holders. If you beat me and face one of them, that means that you’ll be that much closer to having all the Numbers.” He looks down at the two rings on his hand. “Plus…I don’t know, part of me hoped that beating Thomas would break some kind of hold on Rio and let her wake up. Obviously that wasn’t the case, or I would have heard from the hospital, but maybe if Tron is defeated…” He shakes his head. “Either way, I want to be able to go to her if she wakes up. Can’t do that if I’m in the finals.”

Yuma pokes his cheek. “Well you can’t just throw the match.” She frowns. “Besides, I have a feeling that sneaky little gremlin will try to pull some crap.”

“Let him try,” Ryoga says. “He has no power over me.”

After dinner, Yuma walks her friends out and to the corner of her block. She wishes them a good night and tells them to bring their cameras tomorrow. Ryoga makes to leave as well, and Yuma asks him to stay, but he says that he has to go—he wants to see Rio and check on his guest as well. Yuma knows he means Hart, so she kisses him and says that she’ll see him tomorrow.

Yuma goes upstairs and takes a shower—she’s amazed at how filthy she got during the tournament. She takes a quick look through her deck, making sure everything looks okay, and then she calls Kite through their secure communicators.

“Is Orbital with Hart?” She asks as Kite answers.

“Yes,” Kite says. “He’s okay, no major changes.”

“And how are you?” Yuma asks.

“I’m…okay,” Kite says. “I heard Ryoga beat Thomas.”

“Yeah, and Thomas disappeared much the same way Chris did.”

Kite sighs. “And then there was one.”

“Tron,” Yuma says. “I have a bad feeling he’s going to try something on Ryoga, but I couldn’t convince him to stay at my house for the night.”

“Mmm,” Kite says. “Well, I have a feeling that he’ll be able to push off Tron’s influence. I saw that he accompanied you during your duel.”

“Well, he is my boyfriend,” Yuma shares. “I had him and Astral by my side.”

Kite is quiet for a moment, and before Yuma can ask if she’s weirded him out, Kite surprises her by saying, “I’m almost envious of you.”

“How so?” Yuma asks.

“You’re so…open,” Kite says. “And it’s so easy for you to trust people and let them into your life.”

“Well, it’s not that it’s easy for me,” Yuma says. “It’s just…I choose to believe the best about people until they give me reason to think otherwise. And that wasn’t always the case, remind me to tell you about my year in a duel gang sometime. But you know, if you want more friends, I’d be glad to introduce you to mine. I can give you my word that they’re good people, and we would all stand by you and Hart.”

“I’d like to believe that,” Kite says. “It’s just…there’s still the matter of my father’s deal with Barian world. Even if Hart wakes up, I don’t know what it’ll mean for both of us, and I’ve already hurt a lot of people, I don’t want to drag anyone else down.”

“Aw, Kite!” Yuma says, “You’ve grown up so much!”

“What are you talking about?” Kite asks gruffly.

“You went from stealing numbers and souls to wanting to protect people!” Yuma says with a giggle. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Oh, hush,” Kite says. “I gotta go. You should get some rest.”

“It’s nice to know you care!” Yuma shouts as the call disconnects. She laughs and puts the communicator aside, and rolls over to face Astral. “Did you hear that?” She asks excitedly.

Astral nods. “I did. Kite really has grown, and it’s thanks to you.”

Yuma beams. “You know, as crappy as this day was overall, I guess some good stuff came out of it.” She moves closer to Astral and puts her arm over his waist. “I let the world know Ryoga and I are dating, Akari got the scoop of the year and is going to use it to out Tron as a creep and the WDC as a farce, and I learned that Kite wants to make friends.”

Astral cups his hand against Yuma’s face and brushes his thumb under her eye. “You are an incredible human being, Yuma,” he says quietly, “But I worry about you.”

“How come?” Yuma asks.

“Your anger is justified, but it makes me concerned for what would happen if you were to face Tron.” Astral bites his lip, hesitating a moment before he says, “I worry what the Numbers would try to do to you.”

Yuma’s first instinct is to brush off that thought, but she would be lying if she did. “I…think about that, too,” she says. “Dad was so big on friendship. I think that’s what ended up getting him into this whole mess with Faker and Tron in the first place. Dad would want me to forgive Tron, and Faker, but I’m not my dad.” She looks down, away from Astral. “Actually, back when I was in the gang…Red used to say I was too prone to violence. I was always the first to ask why we didn’t just punch someone out and take what we wanted. She said I’d end up in jail if I kept up that attitude. And I have been kinda violent lately. I worry that I’ll try to assault Tron instead of duel him.”

“Ah,” Astral says. “Well, think of it this way—Numbers can only be gained by victory in a duel. If you knock Tron unconscious, we might not get his Numbers, and we’ll be further away from starting the airship in the Key and possibly using it to locate your parents.”

Yuma looks up once more and laughs. “Oh wow, that is a good way to think of it! Very logical.”

Astral grins and touches the tips of his fingers to Yuma’s mouth. “I do love your smile so much,” he says.

Heat spreads through Yuma’s body, starting from her heart and reaching to the tips of her toes and fingers. Astral pokes her cheek.

“You’re blushing,” he informs her.

“You made me,” she tells him.

 

* * *

 

Ryoga sits on Rio’s bed and takes her hand. Her nails are growing out, he needs to either cut them himself or ask one of the nurses to do it. Her hair is damp—the nurses must have just washed it. Her face is relaxed, and the heart monitor next to her shows a steady beat.

“I finally know why this happened,” Ryoga tells her. “It was my fault. This maniac wanted, and I’m quoting him here, darkness to grow in my heart so he could use me to get revenge on someone.” Ryoga snorts. “Stupid, right? I guess it’s because, I don’t know, I’m a good duelist? If I’d been a sucky one, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

He looks down at his hand and at the two rings he wears. Rio won them at a carnival when they were kids, and begged him to wear one so they would match. At first he said no, but after their parents died, he put it on and only took it off to switch it to other fingers as he grew up. The doctors gave Rio’s ring to him the day she came to the hospital, saying that it was a miracle the metal hadn’t melted to her skin. He’d worn it every day since, though he could have given it back to her. For so long he’s worn it as a reminder of where he’d come from and what he was working towards. But now, he doesn’t think he needs that physical reminder. He carries Rio with him in his very soul. So he takes her ring off his finger, and places it back on her own. Her fingers are so slender, the ring still fits perfectly.

“How very touching,” says a childish voice.

Ryoga stands up, balling his hands into fists. It’s Tron—Yuma was right, he was planning something. But he won’t get away with whatever it is.

Hands cover Ryoga’s eyes, and his heart skips a beat, then speeds up.

 _‘For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great,’_  He says to himself as Tron’s hands squeeze his head.

 

* * *

 

In the dream, Yuma stands in front of a wood cabin, situated in the middle of a clearing. It looks like something out of a Disney movie, with flower petals blowing in the breeze. She looks to her side and sees Astral, and when she looks back to the cabin, Hart is standing on the front porch.

“Hart!” Yuma cries. She runs to the cabin, stopping at the stairs leading up to the porch.

Hart smiles. “I knew you could do it,” he says.

“Do what?” Yuma and Astral ask.

“Save my brother,” Hart says. “He’s changed because of you, I can feel it. But he’s not totally safe yet.”

“What do you mean?” Yuma asks. “What do you know?”

“I know that Tron always has another plan,” Hart says. “I saw inside his mind, and it’s a scary place, but he’s smarter than you think. He wants my brother to weaken himself, he wants to use me to do it.” Hart looks down. “I’m stuck here. I’ve tried leaving, but I just can’t seem to do it. So Yuma, can you please look after Kite for me? Remind him that I’ll always love him, and I know he did his best for me.”

Yuma feels tears sting her eyes, but she nods. “I will, Hart. And Kite loves you, too. You know that, don’t you?”

Hart nods and smiles. “Bye Yuma, Astral.”

 

* * *

 

Yuma sits up, tears streaming down her cheeks. She hugs her knees to her chest and sobs into them.

“Shh,” Astral says as he wraps his arms around her. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll make sure that it is.”


	28. Ignite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma and Ryoga face each other in the semi-finals, but something isn't right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we really get into the drama of the first series! This is the rewrite of episodes 61-62, and things are going to be very, very different.

The semi-finals have arrived. Yuma waits in the tunnel outside the duel field, unsurprised that Ryoga is her first opponent. She suspects Tron had a hand in making that happen. She adjusts the microphone on her d-gazer, gives the Key a tug to make sure the cord is secure, and looks up at Astral.

“Are you ready for this?” She asks him.

Astral smiles at her. “Are you?”

Yuma reaches for his hand and squeezes it. “You know the answer to that.”

 

* * *

 

“So, Yuma and Shark…er, Ryoga-san are dueling each other!” Tetsuo says with a laugh. “Boyfriend versus girlfriend, the crowd will love this.”

“But we already know how it’s going to turn out,” Tokunosuke says. “That makes it totally boring.”

Cathy growls. “Yuma’s dueling is never boring!” She cries. She rakes her nails down Tokunosuke’s face, making the people around them gasp in horror.

Kotori rolls her eyes. Yuma was pretty quiet when they all met up outside the stadium, and she didn’t mention Ryoga at all. She wonders if the two of them had some sort of argument. Yuma did seem upset when Ryoga said he would throw the duel. She looks out over the field. There’s a giant tower in the middle of the field, and there’s a few platforms attached to it. Even from her seat in the mid-rise of the stadium, she can’t see the top of the tower.

“Heeeeeeeeeeeart burning!” Mr. Heartland screams. The crowd cheers, and Kotori fights down a wave of nausea.

“Our first match-up today promises to be thrilling!” Heartland cries. “The young lovers that we watched raptly yesterday will now face each other, with their hearts on the line! The duel that promises to be as dramatic as Romeo and Juliet!”

Kotori folds her arms. “Yuma and Ryoga won’t let a duel destroy them,” she says crossly. “This is nothing like Romeo and Juliet.”

“On this side!” Heartland cries, “We have the girl who was unknown at the start of this tournament! The dark horse, the miracle girl…Tsukumo Yuma!”

Yuma cartwheels out of the field entrance. She performs an exaggerated curtsey, and then she turns to where Kotori and the others are sitting and blows a kiss.

“YUMA!!” They all scream, getting to their feet and waving at her.

She makes a heart with her hands, then turns and walks up the steps to the duel platform.

“And the boy who was knocked from the pro-circuit,” Heartland continues, “Who we have seen claw his way to the top in this tournament! Put your hands together for Kamishiro Ryoga!”

A few people scream Ryoga’s name as he walks, stone-faced, out of the field entrance and up the stairs to the duel platform. He doesn’t acknowledge anyone, not even Yuma.

“What the cat?!” Cathy hisses. “Isn’t he going to smile at her?”

“Now my heroes, step up to the field!” Heartland cries.

The two of them step up on top of the designated markers on the platform, and then the platform gives a shudder and starts to rise. Up, up, up to the top of the tower, so high that the only way anyone will be able to see the duel is through the cameras.

“How lame,” Takashi sniffs.

“So lame,” Tetsuo agrees.

Yuma takes the first turn. Ryoga is emotionless as she sets her cards. And then when it’s Ryoga’s turn, he recklessly attacks Yuma’s facedown monster and takes damage. He remains stone-faced even as he’s blown backwards by the rebound of the attack. He gets up, sets a card, and ends his turn.

Yuma attacks Ryoga relentlessly, even directly. Ryoga is blown backwards, and for a while, he stays down.

Kotori covers her mouth.

“Dang,” Tetsuo says. “I know Ryoga said he would throw it, but he’s not even trying.”

Ryoga hauls himself to his feet. “Yuma…” he growls. He looks up at her, his blank expression morphing into one of rage, “I’ll never forgive you!” He screams.

“SAME HERE!” Yuma screams back.

Kotori’s jaw drops. “Whaaaaaa?”

“D-did they fight?” Takashi asks.

Ryoga suddenly becomes just as relentless as Yuma was—he destroys her monsters, and attacks her directly.

“Jeez, treacherous like a cat,” Tokunosuke says.

Cathy inhales sharply, then rakes her nails across Tokunosuke’s face once more.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two!” Kotori snaps.

“What did I do?” Tokunosuke whines.

Yuma goes to attack Ryoga again, but Ryoga deflects her attack and inflicts damage on her. Yuma ends her turn, and then Ryoga brings all the pieces together to summon…

“Numbers 32! Shark Drake!” Ryoga screams.

Kotori gasps. “Could it be the Number?” She wonders, “Is it affecting Ryoga’s mind?”

Ryoga attacks with the monster, landing one blow, and he goes for a second attack that could end the duel right there, but Yuma fends him off with an excellent tactic. Kotori breathes a sigh of relief. Yuma’s turn begins, and she’s able to attack Shark Drake and deal some damage to Ryoga, though she doesn’t destroy the Number. She ends her turn, and Ryoga laughs, high pitched and cold.

“Now I’ll have my revenge,” He growls. “Shark Drake—Chaos XYZ change! Show yourself, Chaos Numbers 32, Shark Drake Vice!”

Kotori squeezes her eyes shut.

“What the heck is a Chaos Number?” Tetsuo asks.

Kotori whimpers. This was not how things were supposed to go!

Ryoga uses all of Shark Drake Vice’s overlay units trying to land an attack, and Yuma fends them off while weakening her only monster on the field. She manages to survive a final attack, but loses 500 of her remaining 900 life points.

“So you survive for now,” Ryoga says with a grin, “But next turn it’s over.”

“It ain’t over ‘til the Goblin King sings!” Yuma screams, and in spite of herself, Kotori manages to smile. That’s so Yuma.

Yuma summons Number 39, and in a move Kotori can’t understand, Yuma orders the weaker Number to attack Shark Drake Vice.

“Has she lost her mind?!” Tokunosuke screams, and Kotori throws her arm between him and Cathy before Cathy can rake her nails down his face again.

But then Yuma negates her own attack, and activates a trap which, when her monsters attack is negated, allows her to take control of the opposing monster.

“She’s taking Ryoga’s Number away?!” Tetsuo cries.

Shark Drake Vice disappears from Ryoga’s field and reemerges on Yuma’s side. Ryoga staggers backwards, and Yuma doubles over, clutching her chest and screaming in pain.

“YUMA!” Kotori shrieks, leaping to her feet.

The camera zooms in on Yuma’s face as she screams, and it’s more than Kotori can take. Just as Kotori is about to burst into tears, Yuma suddenly chokes and starts coughing. “Ah, oh god…” she gasps, “I choked on my own spit!”

Kotori freezes. The whole crowd seems to freeze.

Across the field, Ryoga laughs. A genuine, if somewhat incredulous, happy-sounding laugh. “Yuma, you absolute nerd!” He cries.

Yuma smiles and dramatically falls to the floor. “Oh, ow, help, my soul,” she says, hands over her heart. “Pain, blood, death, blah, blah, blah…”

Ryoga is cracking up. “I can’t believe he fell for it!” He cries.

Takashi points at the nearby screen. “What the heck is happening?!” He cries.

Kotori sways, suddenly light-headed. “They tricked us…” But then she remembers what Yuma said last night, that she was afraid Tron might try to pull something. She gasps, “No, they tricked Tron!”

Ryoga grins and holds out his hand. “I active the trap Marine Snow Seal and banish Shark Drake Vice! I take 1000 points of damage!”

But Ryoga only has 900 life points left—he’s thrown the duel.

 

* * *

 

As Ryoga’s life points drop, Yuma races across the field and flings herself at her boyfriend. “CATCH!” She screams as she leaps into his arms.

Ryoga, still reeling from the effects of Shark Drake Vice’s banishment, does not catch her, and they both go falling to the ground, with Yuma landing on top of Ryoga’s chest.

Ryoga wheezes. “Get off me, you freak.”

Yuma rolls off of him, giggling madly. “That was the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life,” she tells him. “Where did you learn how to scream for revenge, because I was totally not buying it.”

“Where did you learn how to scream in pain?” Ryoga fires back. “Loser.”

“You’re the loser here!” Yuma cries. She gets up and dusts herself off, and Ryoga holds out his arms.

“Help me up,” he says.

Yuma takes his hands and hauls him to his feet, and when she’s sure he’s steady, she grabs him by the collar and hauls him in for a kiss. She hears a lot of confusion from the crowd, but above the murmurings, she hears an echoing crack.

Yuma and Ryoga stop making out and look towards the viewing room, where glass rains down.

“Uh-oh,” Yuma says. “Somebody’s having a temper tantrum.”

“What a baby,” Ryoga says, shaking his head. “But it’s his own fault. He actually thought he could make me believe that  _you_  hurt Rio.”

Yuma snorts and leans into Ryoga, hugging him. “Clearly he doesn’t know that Labyrinth references are stronger than whatever mumbo-jumbo he has up his sleeve.”

And at the same time, Yuma and Ryoga shout in the direction of the viewing room, “You have no power over me!” And they stick their tongues out, knowing full well that Tron probably can’t see them anymore.

“Good lord,” Ryoga says as the platform begins to lower, “We are nerds.”

“Be proud of it,” Yuma says. “Own it, babe.”

“What babe?” Ryoga and Astral say together.

When the platform reaches the ground, Ryoga and Yuma are laughing so hard they can barely stand up straight. They cling to each other as they walk down the stairs, and the only thing that makes them stop laughing is Kotori, as she comes careening into them.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” She screams as she grabs Yuma’s shirt in one hand and Ryoga’s in the other. “Explain!” She orders, shaking them weakly.

“Oh man, she cursed,” Yuma says. “I’m sorry, I know we scared the bejesus out of you…”

“And unfortunately, I gotta go,” Ryoga says. “I want to be with Rio in case Tron is defeated and she wakes up.”

Yuma nods. “Yeah, you go, throw me to the wolves, it’s okay.”

Ryoga smiles and kisses her cheek. “I have faith in you,” he says, and he unhooks Kotori’s hand from his shirt and walks off.

Yuma waits to explain until she’s in the contestant’s lounge, surrounded by all her friends, who all look torn between relief and anger.

“Okay, so here’s what happened,” she says, “Ryoga called me this morning and said that Tron appeared to him in Rio’s hospital room. Tron did something creepy, he like, put his hands into Ryoga’s head and tried to mess with his memories. Ryoga could see that Tron was trying to make him think I had caused Rio’s accident, but he kept thinking ‘You have no power over me,’ over and over, until finally he was able to say something like ‘I’ll kill Yuma with my bare hands,’ and Tron backed off. So Ryoga kept his proper memories, but made Tron think his little brainwash trick had worked. He said that Tron even gave him some kind of card that would ensure that no matter what, I would lose. Ryoga told me he had a few ideas as to how this could play out instead, assuming he didn’t just walk out on the field and surrender. Because, by this time, he kind of figured Tron had somehow rigged the match-ups for today so that no matter what, I would be dueling Ryoga.”

Yuma smiles sheepishly. “It was my idea for Ryoga to go along with it. I thought if we could fool Tron into thinking he had won, then suddenly flip the script, it might throw him off enough that he would royally screw himself over in his duel with Kite.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kotori asks.

“Well, Ryoga told me all of this over our secure communication device at like, 5 this morning,” Yuma says. “But I didn’t see you guys until we were already here and I was afraid that Tron like, had listening devices planted all over the stadium. I couldn’t risk him uncovering our plan. Or even if he didn’t have listening devices, he could have watched your expressions during the match and used it to judge if Ryoga and I were really fighting for real.”

“The flip-side,” Tokunosuke says. “That’s actually quite brilliant, Yuma!”

Yuma beams. “Why thank you!” She looks around at everyone. “I am really, really, really sorry that I made you all worry.”

“Aw, shucks,” Tetsuo says gruffly, “We can’t stay mad at you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Kotori says crossly. “I’m mad.”

Yuma pouts and folds her hands under her chin. “Please, please, please forgive me?” She begs, blinking up at Kotori.

Kotori wavers, and finally she hugs Yuma. “Oh, alright, I forgive you!”

Yuma squeals and hugs Kotori back. “You’re the best!”

But the celebration is short-lived, because Yuma has plans. “Go watch the duel,” she says. “I’ll see you out there!” She races out of the duelists’ lounge and back onto the field.


	29. Inferno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma keeps her eyes on Hart’s face. Her heart won’t stop racing, and she keeps expecting something to happen, but she’s not sure what that something could possibly be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming at you with the rewrite of episodes 63-64!

The platform that Tron and Kite will be dueling on is just starting to lift into the air, and Yuma makes a running jump for it, just grabbing on to the edge of the platform.

“Oye, Kite!” Yuma yells as she dangles a hundred yards in the air, “Little help here!”

She’s seized by the wrists and hauled up, but by Orbital rather than Kite. She yelps in pain as she lands hard on the platform, and she scowls at the robot. “Thanks for dislocating my wrists, asshole,” she says.

Orbital sputters, and Kite rolls his eyes. “Nobody asked you to be here.”

“I asked me to be here,” Yuma says.

“If you two are done,” Tron drawls, “Shall we get on with this duel?”

Kite turns to Tron. “You monster,” he says. “You hurt my brother, you used your own sons as sacrifices, and for what? What will your revenge end up accomplishing?”

“You’re one to talk,” Tron says. “You hunted down Numbers, stealing people’s souls and leaving them catatonic, and what did it get you? In the end, the Numbers couldn’t save your precious little brother.”

Kite snarls, “At least I tried to save him! You only care for yourself!”

Tron ignores Kite’s words. “Isn’t it true,” he says, “That part of you actually enjoyed stealing souls?” The little gremlin smirks. “You and I aren’t so different after all.”

Yuma snorts. “You two couldn’t be more different. For one thing, Kite’s hotter than you’ll ever be.”

Kite actually smiles. “I should hope so, I mean Tron is actually a crusty old man.”

Yuma hoots with laughter. Tron grits his teeth.

“Laugh while you still can,” Tron says, “You’ll have no joy left by the time I’m done with you.”

Yuma watches as Kite initiates his Photon-Sailor-Moon change. As it finishes, he clutches his chest and breathes heavily. Yuma glances at Orbital.

“What’s happening?” Yuma asks the robot.

Orbital seems to freak out. “W-well, Kite-sama is…is taking his turn!”

And indeed, Kite does take the first turn, and by the end of it, he’s summoned Galaxy Eyes Photon dragon. Yuma grins—Kite isn’t holding back. Tron starts his turn, damn near landing a blow against Kite, but of course Kite avoids taking any damage. And when Kite’s second turn comes around, he stuns Yuma and the crowd by summoning Chris’ Number, Dyson sphere, to the field.

In the open, Yuma can see that even though it is a hologram, it does actually cover the sun. A shiver runs down her spine—it may just be a glorified satellite, but there’s something majestic and terrifying about it. She’s glad it’s on Kite’s field. But Kite isn’t done yet, he steals away Dyson Sphere’s overlay units and gives them to Galaxy Eyes, and then he increases Galaxy Eyes’ attack power.

“And now,” Kite says, “I can attack you directly!”

Orbital spins in glee. “If it lands, it’ll be a one-shot kill!”

But Yuma isn’t so excited—Tron is too smart to let an attack like that go through. And she’s right to be wary, because after the smoke from Kite’s attack clears, Tron is still standing and his life points have barely been dented.

Orbital is furious, but Kite seems…impressed?

“Of course,” Kite says, “It would be boring otherwise.”

“Weirdo,” Yuma mutters.

“Indeed,” Tron agrees, “And to make things even more lively, I have a present for you!” He reaches for his mask and pulls it off—Yuma’s heart stutters to a halt as Hart’s face smiles at Kite from across the field.

“What is this?” Kite hisses, “How dare you insult me this way?!”

“Nii-sama,” Tron’s Hart-mask says, “Aren’t you happy to see me?” Tron holds out his hand a screen materializes, showing the real Hart’s sleeping face.

“That’s not all,” Tron’s mask says gleefully, “Watch this!” He pinches his cheek, and on the screen, Hart flinches.

“It hurts!” Tron’s mask says, “Nii-sama, come save me!”

Yuma bites the inside of her mouth so hard, she tastes blood, and she hopes to god that she looks pained enough to fool Tron—not that he’s looking at her. Yuma can’t believe how stupid Tron is. The screen that supposedly shows Hart sleeping isn’t even real! Yuma knows for a fact that Hart is currently sleeping on Rio’s snowflake-patterned sheets. The Hart on the screen is not sleeping on those sheets.

Kite turns and starts to run to the edge of the platform, but a dark light shoots from Tron’s wrist and fastens around Kite’s arm.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Tron says in Hart’s voice, “Until I’m good and done with you.”

“I’ll go!” Yuma blurts, “Kite, I’ll go look after Hart!”

Kite looks at Yuma, betraying nothing, and nods. Yuma turns to Orbital. “Come on,” she yells at the robot, “Let’s get out of here!”

Yuma takes a running jump off the platform, and Orbital catches her. They start flying in the direction of Heartland tower, but as soon as they hear the duel resume, they change direction and head to Ryoga’s apartment.

“What an idiot,” Yuma mutters. She pauses to spit blood from her mouth, then continues, “Tron seriously thought Kite would bring his brother back to Heartland?”

“Well, he very nearly did,” Astral reminds her. “It was your idea to have him moved.”

“True,” Yuma agrees, “But still!”

Yuma, Orbital, and Astral arrive shortly at the apartment. Yuma knocks on the front door, and it’s answered by Sayaka, Ryoga and Rio’s former nanny.

“Yuma,” Sayaka says, holding her arms out, “I’ve missed you!”

Yuma smiles and hugs Sayaka. She was Rio and Ryoga caretaker for as long as Yuma had known them, and since their parents were often away on business, Yuma saw Sayaka very often when she went over to play with the twins. After Mr. and Mrs. Kamishiro died, Rio and Ryoga continued to be looked after by Sayaka. Wen Rio was hurt, Sayaka was understandably devastated, and being older, the stress took a toll on her physical health. Ryoga convinced Sayaka to go home to her family to recover from the trauma, and he began to live on his own. Yuma’s not sure when Sayaka came back to the city, but she knows Hart couldn’t have been left in better hands.

“Let me look at you,” Sayaka says, leaning back and taking Yuma’s hands. “Oh, how beautiful you are! And you got so tall!”

Yuma smiles. “You look well, yourself,” she says. “Did you dye your hair?”

Sayaka grins and touches the top of her head. “My daughter convinced me to.”

“I like it!” Yuma says. “You don’t look a day over thirty.”

Sayaka laughs and give Yuma’s arm a gentle swat. “Oh, you fresh thing! I missed that attitude of yours, reminds me so much of Ms. Rio.” She sighs. “Well, have you come to see Hart?”

“I have,” Yuma says, “And if you want to go out, enjoy the sunshine for a bit, please do. I can look after him for a while.”

“You’re too sweet,” Sayaka says. “You know what, I think I will do just that. I’ll just be out on the balcony, do call me if you need anything.”

“Same to you,” Yuma says. “Actually…” She grabs Orbital’s arm. “This is Orbital 7, he would be happy to make you some tea.”

Orbital lets out an affronted sound, but it’s drowned out by Sayaka’s delighted cry. “Oh, what a marvelous machine!” She says, “Look at that design, how lovely!”

If robots could blush, Orbital would be bright red. Yuma leaves Sayaka to fawn over the robot and she goes into Rio’s room. As she suspected, Hart is sleeping peacefully, no evidence of Tron’s torment at all. Yuma rummages through Rio’s dresser and finds an old nightgown of hers. She changes into it, pops the Labyrinth DVD into the TV, and then lays down next to Hart, pulling the quilt up over them both.

“Hey, kiddo,” Yuma says, “Excuse my cold feet, I’ve just been flying. And I know I said I’d keep your brother safe, but you know how he is, he worried too much about you, so here I am. Making sure you’re okay.” She brushes her fingers through Hart’s hair. “I’m afraid he might just lose. Tron is…well, he’s a piece of work. Astral and I might be able to beat Tron together, but Kite…well, if Tron does anything funny to him, I’ll make sure I undo it. Just like I’ll undo whatever he’s done to you, and to Rio.” She smiles and taps Hart’s nose gently. “You just leave everything to me, Hart. And you know why I’m sure I can fix everything? Because I have people like you who give me a reason to believe in love.”

She looks up at the TV and recites with Sarah,  _“For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great…”_

She looks back down at Hart. “You know the words,” she whispers,  _“You have no power over me.”_

Yuma keeps her eyes on Hart’s face. Her heart won’t stop racing, and she keeps expecting something to happen, but she’s not sure what that something could possibly be.

As Yuma starts to sing along to Magic Dance, Hart suddenly stirs.

“Nii-sama,” he whispers.

Yuma sits up. “Hart? Can you hear me?” She asks.

Hart opens his eyes. He looks at Yuma and says, “He has no power over me.”

As Yuma watches, Hart’s eyes begin to glow with blue light, and the light gets brighter and brighter until she has to close her eyes against it. When the light fades, Hart lies still, sleeping once more.

Orbital charges into the room. “Kite-sama has lost!” The robot wails. “Tron has stolen his soul!”

Yuma gets up and starts stripping. Orbital screeches and turns his back, but Yuma is quickly dressed and running out the door.

“Gotta go,” she yells to Sayaka, “See you later!”

Orbital snatches Yuma up and starts to fly her back to Heartland. He shouts down to her, “Hart was seen protecting Kite from an illegal final blow, one that was set to land after his life points had already hit zero!”

“That must have been the light I saw!” Yuma shouts back. “Pick up the pace, Orbital!”

Orbital gets Yuma back to the stadium just as Kite is being lifted onto a stretcher. Orbital drops Yuma like a hot potato and steals the stretcher away from the medical technicians, wheeling it away into the depths of the stadium while screaming like a maniac.

“Ow,” Yuma says, rubbing her butt where it smacked into the ground. She looks around, but Tron is nowhere to be seen. That’s probably for the best, because if Yuma saw him now, she’d probably get arrested for trying to kill him.

A WDC employee approaches Yuma. “Ma’am, the finals will begin shortly,” The woman gives a slight bow, “Please come with me to the waiting room that has been prepared for you.”

Yuma gets to her feet and brushes herself off. She follows the woman into the stadium.

“Did you watch the last duel?” Yuma asks her.

The woman doesn’t even look at her. “I cannot comment on any matches,” she says, sounding apologetic.

Yuma reaches for the Key and holds it tightly. She can feel a slight pressure as Astral puts his hand on her shoulder. Yuma has seen what Tron is capable of, and she has no doubt that he did indeed steal Kite’s soul. And even if this woman did see the duel, would she know if Kite’s soul had been stolen? Yuma imagines trying to explain the ramifications of the duel to an outsider, and she realizes just how mad this whole thing actually sounds.

The woman leads Yuma to a bright red door, which she unlocks to reveal a crowd of…people? No, not just any people! Yuma lets out a cry of delight—all her friends are here! Even Ryoga is present!

“I thought you were with Rio!” Yuma says as her boyfriend hugs her.

“I couldn’t let you face that gremlin alone, could I?” He asks. “Besides, Kotori had me bring something.”

Yuma looks around Ryoga. Kotori is kneeling at the coffee table and making rice balls. She’s got Yuma’s bag of tricks next to her, and Yuma can see the taser sticking out of the side pocket. Yuma chuckles and asks, “Rice balls, huh?”

“In case you get hungry during the duel,” Kotori says with a wink.

Yuma laughs. “Oh, you know me so well!” She untangles herself from Ryoga and gives Kotori a hug. “Thanks for bringing the bag,” she adds in a whisper.

She looks up at her friends, “You’re all the best friends a girl could ask for. I wouldn’t be here without each and every one of you.” She stands up and gives each of them a hug.

Tetsuo ruffles Yuma’s hair. “We’re counting on you to give Tron hell!”

“We’re counting on you to make it out alive!” Tokunosuke says worriedly. “The flip side to victory is, in this case, death!”

Tetsuo nods, “In the end, you have to win!”

“Oh, so no pressure or anything,” Yuma says. “Great pep talk, guys.”

They all look sheepish, but Ryoga holds out his hand. “Come on, everyone put your hands in,” he says.

Kotori dashes over from the table and slaps her hand on top of Ryoga’s. Tetsuo, Takashi, Cathy, and Tokunosuke all put their hands in as well, and Yuma puts hers on top. Then, Astral puts his hand in.

“Through dangers untold,” Ryoga begins.

“And hardships unnumbered,” Yuma says.

Together, all of them chant, “I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great…You have no power over me!” They throw their hands back, laughing.

Yuma grabs the bag with the rice balls that Kotori made and shouts, “For David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Rio, Hart, Kite, kingdom and country! Here we go!”


	30. Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma hears the crowd screaming as though she’s deep underwater. For the moment, all she can hear is the pounding of her own heartbeat and the blood rushing through her veins. Her footsteps seem to pound out a chant. Hart, Kite, Rio, over and over until she’s on the platform and facing the gremlin himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The most dramatic duel of them all - Yuma versus Tron.

Before Yuma walks out onto the field, she turns to Astral. “Are you ready for this?”

Astral floats down to her eye level. “I am with you every step of the way.”

Yuma takes his hands and smiles. “If someone is watching me, this is about to look really weird.”

Astral chuckles. “You’re not one to care.”

“True,” Yuma agrees, and she kisses him. As much as she wants to stand there all day and just continue kissing her invisible boyfriend, she does have souls to liberate, so she reluctantly backs away from Astral and continues out onto the field.

Yuma hears the crowd screaming as though she’s deep underwater. For the moment, all she can hear is the pounding of her own heartbeat and the blood rushing through her veins. Her footsteps seem to pound out a chant. Hart, Kite, Rio, over and over until she’s on the platform and facing the gremlin himself. She would be a fool to have no fear at all, but the feeling that overwhelms her is disdain. She tries to think of Tron as a thing stuck to the bottom of her shoe, rather than a soulless monster that she hates with every cell in her body. That last part is more true than the first, but she’s trying very, very hard not to duel with hatred in her heart.

“We have prepared a special field!” Mr. Heartland screams, and Yuma is jolted from her thoughts. Things that look like goddamn missile-launchers emerge from the ground and point up. Golden light shoots from them, and the light forms a circle which grows, and grows, until it’s large enough to envelop nearly the whole platform.

“Am I supposed to go in that?” Yuma asks. She turns to face Heartland. “I DIDN’T SIGN A WAVER FOR THIS!” She screeches.

“Fear not!” Heartland announces, “For this technology is perfectly safe and meant only to provide a more entertaining duel for the audience.”

Yuma mutters, “Oh I’ll give you entertainment, you sick freak.” She doesn’t even care if her microphone picked up on that, it’s probably not even broadcasting at the moment. She touches the golden circle, and then cries out in shock as everything goes black…and then suddenly she’s inside the sphere.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Yuma screams, patting her head, torso, and legs. Her microphone certainly picked up on that, and now she  _really_  doesn’t care. There doesn’t seem to be any gravity in this sphere, and she’s soon floating upside down.

“You seemed to disintegrate and then reform,” Astral tells her, “Like Tron and the three brothers did when they vanished.”

“Did that happen to you?!” She demands.

“No, I passed through with ease,” Astral says.

“This must some other dimension BS,” Yuma says as she manages to float herself right-side up.

“Congratulations, Yuma,” Tron calls.

Yuma turns to the gremlin. “For what, exactly?” She asks.

“Making it this far,” Tron says. “But then, I’m not surprised. You are Kazuma’s daughter, after all. He used to say that in life, all one needed was family, friends, and a ceaseless desire. I came to realize family and friends were nothing, but ceaseless desire…that was what kept me alive in the parallel world. My desire for revenge allowed me to come back, and now that I face you and the messenger from Astral world, I am so close.” Tron grins. “But I wonder, why are you so against me? Don’t you want revenge against Dr. Faker for what he did, taking your father away?”

“First of all—fuck you,” Yuma says. “I’m my own person before I’m Kazuma’s daughter. Second of all, don’t twist my father’s words. Third of all, my father wouldn’t want me to become anything like what you are, so no, I’m not dueling for revenge.”

“Really?” Tron asks. “Your father doesn’t want revenge? Then why did he send Astral here?”

Yuma blinks at Tron. “I beg your pardon?” She asks.

“The numbers contain great and terrible power that could destroy the world,” Tron says. “Isn’t that why Astral is here? To collect Numbers? Why would Kazuma send something like Astral here with that power?”

“What makes you think my dad sent Astral?” Yuma demands, then she holds up her hand. “No, shut up, I don’t want your opinion. Besides, Astral doesn’t know what he came here for, which means he can do whatever he damn well pleases.” She turns to Astral. “Right, babe?”

“Right, Yuma,” Astral says, smiling at her.

Of course, the sphere comes with a rule change, one that makes it easier to summon Numbers, as many Numbers as one can. Yuma wonders how the audience is reacting to all of this, if any of them have begun to question just what the Numbers are. But she can’t think about that, she’s got to focus on what’s in front of her.

The duel quickly becomes a battle of Numbers. Though Tron plays a weak one in his first turn, when his second turn comes around, he takes a chunk out of Yuma’s life points. It’s trippy, getting blown back against the sphere’s walls and then bounced back. Yuma’s going to puke if this whole zero gravity thing keeps up.

But on her next turn, Yuma summons Numbers 34, 17, and 39. She has three Numbers now, just like Tron. And she takes out all three of his numbers. His field is wide open, and Yuma has the advantage. With nothing else she can do, she ends her turn. Of course, she knows Tron is prepared for this.

After summoning three monsters to his field and changing their levels, Tron announces and Xyz summon. “Allow me to show you my true trump card,” he says with a smile. “Come forth, Numbers 69, God Medallion Coat of Arms!”

Yuma’s jaw drops. Did he say…did he actually say what she thinks he said?

Astral gasps, “This is the monster that fuels Tron’s revenge.”

Yuma snaps her jaw shut. She feels like she’s about to burst.

“Ugh,” Tron says, “It hurts…but I suppose it doesn’t matter. After this, everything will be gone. I suppose I can show you my true face. You’re in for a real treat, you two!”

Tron removes his mask, and Yuma knows she ought to be terrified by the gaping hole in his face surrounded by…galaxy print…but honestly, she’s still staring at the Number.

“All I have left,” Tron says, “Is my heart filled with rage, and this Number. I’ve put everything I have into Numbers 69…”

Yuma is sure he’s about to deliver quite the speech, but goddamn it, she can’t hold back anymore. The laughter bursts forth and she’s gone, she’s full-blown hysterical.

From across the field, Tron stares at her. “What…?”

Yuma clutches her sides. She’s floating upside down again and she can’t even right herself because she’s laughing so hard. “It’s…it’s sixty nine!” She screams, “It’s finally here, oh my god I can’t believe it!” She points at Tron and shrieks, “AND YOU LOOK LIKE A LITTLE KID!” She hoots, “Does your mother know what you’re getting up to in your free time young man?!” She’s crying, she’s probably drooling, she knows she looks like an idiot and maybe, just maybe, she’s finally cracked. But if this is how she cracks, she’s okay with that. This is hilarious. She hopes her friends are enjoying this as much as she is.

 

* * *

 

“What the hell?” Takashi asks as Ryoga clutches the chair in front of him, laughing almost as hard as Yuma is.

“He’s—he looks like a kid!” Ryoga gasps. “Oh god, this is just too great!”

“Oh yeah, you and Yuma missed Kite’s duel, didn’t you?” Tetsuo asks.

“Wait,” Ryoga cries, “He used it against Kite?! Did he laugh?”

“No,” Cathy says.

“CAN IT BE HE DOESN’T KNOW?!” Ryoga shrieks, and this time he falls to the floor he’s laughing so hard.

“People are staring,” Tokunosuke whispers.

“Just what is so funny about the number 69?!” Kotori demands.

Ryoga sits up, a gleeful smile on his face. “Oh Kotori, you are too young to know.”

 

* * *

 

“WILL YOU SHUT UP?!” Tron screeches as Yuma continues to cackle. “I’ll show you! God Medallion can steal your monster’s effect and make them it’s own! Any monster, it’s useless against mine!”

Okay, that is pretty serious, but Yuma now has the hiccups from laughing, so as her monster’s effects are stolen she’s left bouncing around the field as her hiccups propel her.

“Oye,” she calls down to Tron, “If I puke in here, will your black-hole of an eye suck it in?”

Tron doesn’t answer her. He attacks Numbers 17, and Yuma is hit so hard that she slams into the sphere’s wall and skids across it. Ouch, that hurt.

“Are you okay?” Astral asks, sounding pained himself.

“Don’t you worry about me,” Yuma says as she rights herself. “I’ve had worse than this.”

“Oh, have you?” Tron asks with a giggle. “I doubt it. You should give up now, Yuma.”

“Why does everyone say that like they think I’ll listen?” Yuma mutters.

“Unlike my useless sons,” Tron continues, “I’m invincible. You could say that God of Arms represents the difference between parents and children. I’m stronger than they could ever be.”

“Oh yeah, you’re just like this card alright,” Yuma spits. “You’re a bully. You take, and take, and take. You leave everything and everyone around you drained of whatever made them good. Just as that creature took what made my monsters special, you took the best parts of your sons and left them dry, drained, and desolate shells. Oh wow, good alliteration, myself,” she says. “Point being, they went along with your deranged plans because all they wanted was their father back. Yet you still call them useless, you talk down their sacrifice.”

“You’re a child,” Tron spits, “What could you know?!”

“I know I would be thrilled if my dad came back to me!” Yuma cries. “But not like you! I told Michael, if my dad had ended up like you, I would be horrified. I would have had him institutionalized, I would have given up on him. But truthfully, I don’t know what I would have done. It’s easy for me to say that now, looking at you and what a hideous  _thing_  you are, but I wonder if your sons saw something good inside of you, something that made them love you in spite of what you’ve become.” Yuma feels tears sting her eyes, and she blinks them away. “If they did, then that makes them better people than I am. To me, you’re nothing. You’re worthless, an ugly monster. But if there’s something inside of you that’s even one percent human, well, I’ll do my best to revive that one percent if only to show the world that your sons didn’t sacrifice themselves for nothing. So no, I’m not giving up on this duel.”

Tron rolls his one eye. “Fine then, struggle pointlessly, it matters not. I end my turn.”

Yuma turns to Astral. “Babe, I think it’s time we show him our true power,” she says quietly.

Astral looks shocked. “I…is that wise? There are people watching, people who won’t know what they are seeing.”

Yuma grins and whispers, “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

She throws out her arms and tips her head back. “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” She screams, “Are you enjoying the show?!” She hears cheers from the crowd, and continues, “Truly, my opponent and I have used this sphere field to give you a duel unlike anything you have ever seen! And now, just as Tron has used AR to change his appearance, I will use it to change mine!” She looks towards Astral. “I will show you the strength of my soul!”

She’s surrounded by red light, and she zips across the sphere. Astral is surrounded by blue light, and flings himself around the sphere alongside her. They collide, and Yuma closes her eyes as golden light explodes between her and Astral. She’s hot and cold, tired and wide awake, she’s scared but she’s never felt braver. Her body rips apart and comes back together, her blood and bones imbued with the power of two worlds.

Yuma opens her eyes. “Ta-da,” she says with a smile. “Call me Zexal.”

 

* * *

 

The crowd is beside themselves.

“Yuma turned into a super hero!” One observer says.

“What did she call herself?” Another asks.

“Zexal!” Kotori and Tetsuo scream, “She’s Zexal!”

The crowd begins to chant, “Zexal, Zexal, Zexal!”

Ryoga grins at the screens. “That’s our girl,” he says quietly.

 

* * *

 

“Here we go!” Yuma cries, “Chaos Xyz change! Come on out, Chaos Numbers 39, Hope Ray!”

“It doesn’t matter!” Tron yells, “I can still steal your monster’s effects!”

“I won’t let you!” Yuma vows.

“Yuma,” Astral says, “A true duelist can find their way out of any battle. With your power, you can draw the very card you need for victory!”

That sounds unbelievable, but everything Yuma has done lately is unbelievable, so she might as well give it a shot. She focuses all her thoughts on her deck, on finding a way out of Tron’s tricks. Golden light envelops her hand, and she draws.

“Hey, it worked!” She cries, jubilant.

And no matter what Tron tries, he can’t beat Yuma this turn, not when she has everything set up to help her avoid his tricks and traps. She equips Hope Ray with Zexal Weapon, since Coat of Arms can’t steal equip cards. Now Yuma has the stronger monster on the field. She sets a card and ends her turn.

Tron applauds. “I must say, I am impressed you got this far. But you’ve played your ultimate hand, and that means you have nothing left! I’ll finish you right here, right now!” He attacks, using Hope Ray’s effect against Yuma, but she plays a trap that allows her to avoid totally damage, though she’s left with only 50 life points. Tron then restores two overlay units to Coat of Arms, meaning the monster won’t be destroyed due a technicality. He sets a card and ends his turn.

Yuma’s stomach churns. “Oh no,” she whimpers.

“Yuma, what’s wrong?!” Astral asks frantically.

Yuma doubles over, groaning. “Oh man, oh man,” she whimpers. Her stomach lurches, she straightens up and…lets out the loudest burp of her life.

“Oh, god,” Yuma says, shocked. “Excuse me! Wow, here I thought I was gonna puke!” But of course, now she’s realizing just how hungry she is. She pats her chest, did they carry over to her Zexal transformation…yes!

“Wow, Tron, you really have me cornered,” Yuma says as she unwraps the rice balls.

“How can you even think of eating at a time like this?!” Astral demands.

“Hey, I’m a girl,” Yuma says. She covers her mic and adds, “Even though I currently have boy parts.” She uncovers the mic and takes a bite out of one of the rice balls. She grins at Tron. “Want some?” she asks, holding out the bitten rice ball. Tron doesn’t answer.

But Astral leans forward and takes a bite. “Oh!” he cries, holding a hand to his mouth, “It’s good!”

Yuma smiles at him. “You’ve never eaten before, have you?”

Astral shakes his head. “I never felt the need. But it’s…rather enjoyable!”

Yuma laughs. “Oh boy, we should go for barbecue after this! And then we should have sushi, and ramen…”

“And hamburgers!” Astral cries. “Yuma, I want to try everything!”

“You got it!” Yuma says. She finishes up the rice balls and dusts off her hands. “Now, it’s my turn!”

And she equips Hope Ray with a second weapon, powers up its attack and it all set to destroy Coat of arms, but Tron isn’t out of tricks yet. He sends both weapons back to Yuma’s hand.

“There’s nothing you can do to stop me!” Tron screams, “Your attacks are—”

Yuma blows a raspberry into her arm.

Tron snarls, “Your attacks are—”

Yuma blows another raspberry into her arm.

“USELESS!” Tron screams.

“YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE!” Yuma screams back.

And from the crowd, she distinctly hear a call back.

“WHAT BABE?!”

“THE BABE WITH THE POWER!”

“WHAT POWER?!”

Yuma grins. Time to change it up—“THE POWER OF ZEXAL!”

She summons back to the field Hope Ray’s giant-ass swords, and she overlays them to summon one even more giant-ass sword. She creates a new monster, Lion Arms, one with an effect that allows her to attack even though her battle phase is over.

“But I can use Coat of Arms effect to destroy one monster per turn!” Tron shouts, “I can destroy Lion Arms!”

“Ehhh, wrong!” Yuma says, “I have an effect too! And it negates yours and cuts your monster’s attack points in half!”

And finally, finally, finally…her attack lands. Number 69 is destroyed, and Tron’s life points drop to zero.

There’s a beat of silence, then Yuma hears Kotori and Ryoga scream together, “YUMA WINS!”

The crowd screams Yuma’s name. She covers her face, her heart soaring. She’s done it, she’s really done, she beat Tron!

But the victory is short lived. Yuma’s chest contracts, and golden light flies from it. It’s the Numbers, they’re being ripped away from her! And across the field, the same is happening to Tron!

Yuma, still in her Zexal form, is able to call forth the sword form of Lion Arms. She propels herself across the field, grabs Tron’s arm, and flings the sword into the sphere field. Rather than break the field to pieces, the sword sticks into it. Oh well, at least now Yuma can stand up to the sudden wind that threatens to suck her into a swirling ball of orange light.

“That can’t be good,” Yuma says, looking up at the light.

“The field has taken the numbers,” Tron says. “This is why Dr. Faker did all of this. He has all the Numbers. Yuma, let go of me, or you’ll get sucked into the field, too.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Yuma snaps, “I’m not letting you go, you have to answer for all the shit you’ve done! I’m taking your ass to court, Tron!”

Tron laughs—an actual, genuine laugh. Yuma gapes at him.

“Yuma…” Tron says, his voice barely above a whisper, “You are unlike anyone I’ve ever met. I may not understand you, but I know that if anyone can take on Dr. Faker, it’s you. I’ll do something for you, child. I’ll release all the souls I’ve stolen.”

Lights burst forth from Tron’s chest and fly free from the sphere. Yuma watches them go.

“Kite, Hart, Rio and my sons, Droite, and all the others,” Tron says, “They’re all free.”

Yuma stares down at Tron. “And I thank you for that, but you’re not off the hook.” The sword slips.

“I can’t take you down with me,” Tron says. “Please, find a way to right the wrongs Faker has done.”

Tron breaks his hand free of Yuma’s grip. In a flash, he’s sucked into the light and vanishes.

Yuma screams, but before she can do anything, she feels herself being ripped apart once more. Her vision whites out, and when she’s able to see again, she’s still within the sphere field, and Dr. Faker stands in front of her.

“Now then,” Dr. Faker says. “Yuma, Astral, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. The pieces have all been gathered, and my ultimate goal is at hand. It’s time to begin the destruction of Astral world!”

Yuma straightens up and clutches her head. She squints at Dr. Faker.

“Man,” she says, “You are one ugly motherfucker.”

Dr. Faker stares at her blankly.

“I mean, my god,” Yuma says. “Are you sure two adorable kids like Kite and Hart are your sons? Was their mother a goddess for them to look as good they do? Or are they gonna look like you when they get older? Because in that case, it’s a good think I’m refusing to get involved with Kite romantically…”

“Will you shut up?!” Dr. Faker screams.

“What? Am I wrong?” Yuma asks Astral innocently.

“You’re not,” Astral says. “Thank god you have excellent taste in boyfriends.”

Yuma laughs, “You ready for this, boyfriend?”

“Ready, babe,” Astral answers.

 

* * *

 

Ryoga and Kotori exit the duel stadium and take off running in the direction that the saw the sphere go. Ryoga’s phone rings, and he answers it.

“Yuma is that you?!” He asks. “What? Oh, wait, is she—” He stops abruptly and Kotori almost slams into him. She’s ready to scream until she gets a look at his face.

“What, what is it?!” Kotori asks.

Ryoga gulps and hangs up the phone. “Rio’s doctor—he says her brain activity is increasing, and if it keeps up, she could be awake by tonight!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "She throws out her arms and tips her head back. 'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!' She screams."
> 
> Somewhere in Arc-V verse, Yuya shivers.


	31. Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle has begun--Yuma, Ryoga, and Kite face off against Dr. Faker with Astral's life on the line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you'll see, we really get some differences in canon in this part. This re-writes episodes 68-71.

“So, where the hell are we?” Yuma asks, looking around.

“The Heartland waste disposal plant,” Dr. Faker says. “Up until now, Hart has been using his power to turn the trash from this city into missiles that we send to Astral world. But now, you two will be the final shot that I fire into that retched world. You’re being sent to the canon that I built to destroy that place once and for all.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Okay…that sounds fake, but okay, let’s say I believe you. What will that accomplish, exactly?”

Dr. Faker holds out his hands. “The power of all the Numbers is concentrated within this sphere. The blast will obliterate—”

“No, asshole, what will destroying Astral world accomplish?!” Yuma interrupts.

“Why, my deal with Barian world will be fulfilled,” Dr. Faker says. “And I will be made the ruler of this world!”

“Why would you want to rule this world?” Yuma asks. “This world is trash. Plus, you can’t control seven billion people all by yourself.”

“Watch me,” Faker says.

 _“Watch me,”_  Yuma mimics. “So was this whole tournament just for the Numbers? Am I not going to get my wish from Heartland?”

Dr. Faker ignores her. “Hart, my son, this is your final mission!”

Yuma jumps and whirls around. Hart is on a platform, floating to the top of the waste management plant. Yuma screams, “HART!”

Hart ignores her, but there’s something in his face that gives Yuma pause.

 

* * *

 

Kotori and Ryoga dodge falling bricks as they near Heartland tower.

“Of all the places,” Ryoga spits as they break into the tower and head down the stairs, “Why did it have to be here?”

Kotori’s phone rings and she looks at it, hoping it’s Yuma, but it’s not. “I’m here, Akari!” she cries.

“Kotori, thank god!” Akari cries, “Are you okay? Is Yuma with you?”

“We can’t find Yuma!” Kotori says, “We’re looking for her in Heartland tower!”

“Why there of all places?” Akari demands, “That place is coming down!”

“We’re sure this is where she ended up,” Kotori says, “Now Akari, go publish that scoop!”

“What?!” Akari cries, “What does that matter?”

“Yuma would want it, so hurry!” Kotori says. She hangs up and as they round a corner, they find Kite trapped under some debris and Orbital struggling to free him.

“Kotori,” Ryoga says, “Grab Kite, I’ll help Orbital lift the concrete.”

Kotori seizes Kite by his wrists. Ryoga gets his hands under the slab and snaps at Orbital to put his hinges into it. Together, the three of them manage to free Kite from the rubble.

Kite clutches his chest and coughs. “What are you two doing here?” He asks.

“What are you doing here?” Ryoga fires back, “Aren’t you supposed to be unconscious in the hospital?”

“I woke up,” Kite says, “And found out that Hart vanished from your house! Apparently he walked right out!”

“Sayaka will be worried,” Ryoga says.

“Never mind that!” Orbital screeches, “Hart is going to use his powers to fire a canon straight at Astral world, destroying himself and Yuma and Astral in the process!”

Kite glowers at Orbital.

“We have to stop them!” Ryoga says, “Kite, you’ve been crushed by heavy material, you should go back to the hospital.”

“And leave my brother?” Kite scoffs, “Not likely. How about you two leave?”

“How about none of us leave,” Kotori says coldly, “And you two grow up enough to work together and save everyone who’s about to be hurt by this fucking thing?!”

Kite and Ryoga glance at each other sheepishly—they made Kotori curse.

 

* * *

 

“Why isn’t the sphere canon powering on?!” Dr. Faker asks. He looks up at Hart. “My son, is everything going well up there?”

Hart’s voice rings out, “For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great, you have no power over me!” With a scream, he leaps down from the platform, a trail of smoke coming from his back…is that a jetpack?!

Yuma whoops, “Go, Hart!”

“Impossible!” Dr. Faker screams.

“KATTOBINGU!” Hart yells as he flies off.

 

* * *

 

Kotori, Ryoga, Orbital and Kite come skidding to a halt as they reach a dead end. Heartland’s voice rings out, “Anyone who stands in the way of Dr. Faker will be destroyed!”

Kotori scowls as Heartland descends on a bright pink platform. “I’ve had just about enough of you,” she says.

Heartland laughs, “Now children, let’s see what you make of them!” And the walls slide open to reveal all the litterbots in the city, all of whom charge at the four of them. To make things worse, the floor begins to slide open as well.

“Below us is a portal to Astral world,” Heartland says. “Struggle is futile, because you will all be fuel for the sphere canon!”

“Cover me!” Kotori screams to Ryoga and Kite. The two of them keep the litterbots off Kotori’s back, she charges at Heartland. “Kattobingu!” She shouts, and she fires Yuma’s taser at him.

Heartland is hit. He screams, his body jerks, and then he falls off the platform. Kotori lets go of the taser as it, and Heartland’s body, fall into the pit below.

“Here I go!” Orbital shouts. He jams his hand into a socket on the opposite wall. Electricity shoots from Orbital’s body and crackles around the wall. The litterbots freeze and the moving floor lurches to a standstill, then slides shut again. The electricity fades away, and Orbital falls to the ground.

Kotori rushes to the robot’s side. “Orbital, can you hear me?!” She cries.

Kite approaches and kneels next to the robot. “Good job, Orbital,” he says.

The robot’s eyes flash. “Kite-sama praised me,” he says happily.

“NII-SAMA!” Hart screams.

Everyone looks up as Hart crashes into Kite, a jetpack strapped to his back.

“Hart!” Kite cries, hugging his brother.

“Reunited…” Orbital sighs. “Thank goodness.” The robot’s eyes grow dim, and he goes limp.

Kotori closes her eyes as tears roll down her cheeks. “Poor Orbital,” she says.

Ryoga suddenly gasps. “Guys, look!”

They all look up. The golden light of the sphere field flickers, and a body falls from it. Ryoga and Kotori rush to catch the falling person…

 

* * *

 

“Yuma!” Kotori and Ryoga yell as she falls into their arms. All three of them end up on the floor, and Yuma looks up briefly—she must have fallen from over three stories!

“Hey, guys,” Yuma says, giving her friends a weak smile. “Mind my dropping in?”

Kotori and Ryoga hug her at the same time. Yuma puts her arms around their shoulders and realizes that she’s got two cards in her hands—Numbers 32 and 39.

“Are you okay?” Ryoga demands.

“I’m fine,” Yuma says. She looks back up at the sphere, “But Astral is still in there.”

Kotori sobs loudly, “Oh, poor Astral is all alone!”

Yuma pats Kotori’s cheek. “Shh, it’s gonna be okay,” she says.

Kotori blurts, “I’m sorry Yuma, I lost your taser! I tased Heartland and it was still attached to him and then he fell down into the trash chute, I had to let go of it.”

Yuma gapes at her. “You tased Heartland?! Oh my god, honey I am so proud of you!” She hugs Kotori and laughs. “And he fell into the trash chute! Ding dong, the psycho is gone!” She leans back and says, “Besides, that wasn’t the taser Red gave me, that one’s in my trunk.”

Kotori starts laughing and crying at the same time. “I can’t believe this is all happening.”

Yuma pats her head. “Don’t worry, I’m not letting Faker get away with this.”

“Is that so?” Dr. Faker asks in a booming voice.

All of them turn towards the sound of his voice—it’s really him this time, it’s not a hologram, or a trick.

“You have been thorns in my side for far too long,” Faker says.

“Then duel us,” Yuma shouts. She leaps to her feet and holds a card out to Ryoga—Number 32. “Me, Ryoga, and Kite—we all challenge you to a duel. Right guys? Are you with me?!”

“All the way,” Ryoga says, taking Shark Drake.

Kite approaches Kotori and hands Hart off to her. “Look after him for me,” he says.

Kotori nods and holds Hart against her chest; he’s just spotted Orbital though, and starts to squirm.

“Orbital!” Hart wails, “Lemme go, I can help!”

“Shh,” Kotori hushes him, “Wait until that man is distracted.”

“I’ll duel you children,” Faker says, “Though your struggle is futile.”

“Gee,” Yuma says, deadpan, “I’ve never been told that before.”

“Oh yeah,” Ryoga says, “By the way, congrats on your win, babe.”

Yuma beams at him. “Aw, thanks dear.”

“Your last victory,” Faker says. A beam of red light shoots down from the golden sphere. Faker groans, a pained sound, and as the red light envelops him, his body seems to expand.

Kotori lets out a yelp of shock and covers Hart’s eyes. Yuma, Ryoga, and Kite gape at Faker as his body changes, becoming robotic. He seems to be like a hodgepodge of machine and man. It’s terrifying. Yuma shakes off her fear and sets up her duel disk and d-gazer, with Ryoga and Kite following suit.

“I’ll take the first turn,” Faker says, “And I’ll have 12,000 life points while you each share 4,000.”

“Is there any chance you’ll accept my challenging that decision?” Yuma asks.

Faker ignores her. In his first turn, he summons one of the Numbers—53, a 100 attack-power monster that’s immune to magic, trap, and monster effects. He sets two cards and ends his turn.

“I’m going first,” Yuma announces to the other two.

“Wait, that Number is weird!” Ryoga shouts.

“Maybe so,” Yuma says, “But we won’t know what it does until we attempt an attack.” She summons her monsters and overlays them so she can get Hope on the field, and that’s when Faker unveils a trap that forces opposing monsters to attack each other, as well as Number 53’s true power.

“I can equip a card in my graveyard to this beast,” Faker says, “And add the attacking monster’s attack to 53’s attack points.”

“So that’s the game he’s playing,” Ryoga says. “No matter what, 53’s attack will always be stronger than the opposing monster.”

But Yuma has a work around—she activates a magic card that doubles Hope’s attack, and she goes after Numbers 53. She manages to inflict damage on Faker, but 53 isn’t destroyed, because Faker sends it’s equipped card to the graveyard.

“And 53 has another effect,” Faker announces, “Half the battle damage is reflected to you, and I regain that same amount in life points!”

“Oh, fuck,” Yuma whispers.

The attack sends Yuma flying. When she recovers, she sets a card and ends her turn.

Ryoga takes over the battle and manages to cleverly inflict damage on Faker, though Faker says that it hardly makes a difference, given how high his life points are, and he once again sends half the battle damage back at Ryoga.

Ryoga winces as he recovers from the attack and clutches his stomach.

“What’s wrong?” Yuma demands.

“Nothing,” Ryoga insists. He sets a card and ends his turn.

But Yuma doesn’t listen. “Ryoga, take off your shirt!” She demands.

“No way!” Ryoga says.

Yuma misses the majority of Kite’s turn, but she already knows what’s happening—Kite tells Faker he’s a bad father, he’ll crush Faker with his bare hands, he summons Galaxy Eyes, etcetera. While they perform that song and dance, Yuma seizes Ryoga by the jacket and tries to pull him to the ground.

“Get off me, woman!” Ryoga screams.

“I will when you take your shirt off!” Yuma says, she can’t pull his jacket off over his stupid duel disk, but she can try to rip it—she hates it anyway, it’s tacky.

“You’re making it worse!” Ryoga says.

“So there is something wrong!” Yuma cries, “Show me!”

“No, I’m fine!” Ryoga says.

“Then why won’t you show me?!”

“Because you’re a perv!”

“You could be grievously wounded and is that the last thing you want to say to me?! It’s just your shirt, what’s the big deal?”

“You have a duel to concentrate on!”

“I can’t concentrate if I’m worried about you!”

Ryoga stops trying to push Yuma away by her face and throws his hands up. “Fine!” He bellows, and he lifts his shirt to show a bloody gash in his side. “The litterbots got me, happy now?!”

“Will you two shut up?” Kite hollers.

“MY BOYFRIEND IS BLEEDING TO DEATH!” Yuma screams. She yanks her vest off and goes to take her shirt off as well, but Ryoga stops her.

“What the hell, Yuma?!”

“I’m dramatically ripping my clothes into bandages!” Yuma yells.

“I’m not dying, it’s a scratch you drama queen!”

Across the field, there’s a huge boom as Kite lands an attack on Dr. Faker. Yuma and Ryoga stop screaming at each other and look over.

“Did we win?” Yuma calls.

The smoke clears—Faker is still standing, and now there’s a new Number on the field.

Yuma rolls her eyes. “Because nothing ever happens the easy way,” she mutters.

Kotori taps Yuma on the shoulder and hands her a first aid kit. “This was in your bag,” she says.

Yuma beams at her. “Oh, thanks honey!” She opens it up. “Ryoga, you think we have time for stitches?”

“Faker is taking his turn,” Ryoga says, “So no.”

Yuma quickly bandages the gash, and it’s not perfect, but it’ll do for the time being.

“Behold, Number 92, Heart earth dragon!” Faker proclaims. And he threatens to deal an attack that could finish the three of them off, but Kite saves them. They still lose life points, but they manage to hang on for now.

Unfortunately, as soon as Kite saves them, he falls to the side, clutching his chest.

“You, too?!” Yuma demands. “God, I hate boys!”

“It’s Photon mode,” Hart says, from where he’s kneeling over Orbital, “It’s killing my brother’s heart!”

“Hart, how do you know something like that?” Kite asks sadly. “It’s okay, I’ll be okay.”

Yuma rolls her eyes so far back in her head she can almost see her brain. “Whyyy couldn’t I just have stayed home today?” She moans.

But Faker has yet to actually start his turn, and now it begins. “Heart earth dragon may have zero attack,” Faker says, “But it prevents me from taking battle damage, and directs the damage to you instead!”

“That should be illegal,” Yuma mutters.

Faker attacks Shark Drake, but luckily, Yuma and Ryoga work like a well-oiled machine, and they play hot-potato with the battle damage until it ends up being 500 points. A large chunk, but enough to, once again, survive.

Hart screams as the three of them are blown back. Yuma is extremely glad that she bandaged Ryoga’s wounds.

“I set a card and end my turn,” Faker says.

Hart yells, “Father, why are you doing this?!”

“I could stop,” Faker muses, “If, Hart, you would agree to power the canon and destroy Astral world.”

Yuma leaps to her feet. “Kotori,” she says, “Cover Hart’s ears.”

Kotori claps her hands over Harts ears as commanded, and Yuma stares up at Faker.

“You,” she says, “Are a disgusting piece of garbage not worth the spit-lubed pitchfork that Satan is gonna shove up your butt when I send you to hell. I would love to watch you pop your own eyeball out of the socket and then try to fuck your brain with a rusty screwdriver, but first we have a duel to win. So keep your shit-eating mouth shut, don’t fucking talk to Hart ever again, AND TAKE THIS! CHAOS XYZ CHANGE!”

Hope Ray emerges onto the field—while Yuma was so busy wowing everyone with her filthy mouth, nobody noticed her even starting her turn. She’s able to inflict real damage onto Faker, even if it is just 600 life points, it’s 600 more than she’s managed previously. She sets a card and ends her turn.

But Faker has Hope Ray and Yuma’s set card banished due to Heart earth dragon’s effect.

“You’re more hopeless than I thought,” Faker says.

“Oye! Don’t talk to my girlfriend that way!” Ryoga shouts. “She’s got more power right now than you can ever dream of having, because she believes in herself and in the people she loves more than you can comprehend! And it’s because of her that I can do this! CHAOS XYZ CHANGE!”

“That’s my boy,” Yuma says proudly as Shark Drake Vice emerges.

And though Faker avoids Ryoga’s attack, what matters is that he sets a card—and when Faker banishes the cards that Ryoga played during his turn, he sets off Ryoga’s trap. Ryoga is able to call two monsters on to the field, and when Kite’s turn begins, he uses those monsters and Galaxy Eyes to call forth Neo Galaxy Eyes.

Ryoga grins at Kite. “Give him hell.”

“With pleasure,” Kite says.

And Kite lands the first real blow of the duel—5000 points of damage. Faker is blown backwards and collides with the opposite wall.

“Surrender now, Faker,” Kite orders.

“Idiot boy,” Faker says, “If Astral world isn’t destroyed, Hart will…he won’t survive!”

Kotori covers Hart’s ears again.

“I made a deal with them,” Faker says, “I would destroy Barian world in exchange for Hart’s life. If I don’t come through on the deal, they’ll take Hart away.”

“LIES!” Yuma screeches. “You think Barian world gives a damn about your child?! I bet they have no intention of keeping their bargain! You wasted your son’s whole life looking for a way to save him, when what you should have done was be there for him!”

Kotori grabs Hart and Orbital, and they run from the room, squeezing back into the hallway. Good, because what Yuma is about to say is depressing.

“Children die every day,” Yuma says. “It sucks, but it’s life. Cancer, congenital defects, accidents, these things claim the lives of innocent babies all the time. Even after all you’ve done, your son’s life isn’t guaranteed. Anything could happen. You should have devoted yourself to giving Hart the best life he could have in his time, but instead you turned a perfectly good child into a weapon. You dirtied his soul, your soul, and Kite’s soul. And what if you couldn’t keep your promise? Then you doomed Hart to death anyway. You’re an idiot, and you’ve taken down both your sons with you. But lucky for you, all is not lost. Because while you were busy hunting numbers, guess what?!” Yuma cups her hands around her mouth and shouts, “HART GOT BETTER!”

Faker gapes at her, and Yuma continues, “Didn’t you see him just now? He has none of that so-called power left, but he flew a jetpack! He’s not frail or sickly at all! He’s a beautiful, happy, and strong little boy who loves his brother and made friends, and has been subjected to Labyrinth references! And you had no part in it!” Yuma closes her eyes and tears stream down her cheeks. “And Hart will never know you as his father! Even if he calls you father, he’ll never truly think of you that way—Kite is his father figure, because Kite loves him enough to trade his own life for Hart’s! And so do I!” She turns to Kite. “If these Barians ever do come for Hart, I’ll rip them apart with my own two hands!”

“Me, too,” Ryoga says. “Like hell I’d let my girlfriend have all the fun.”

Kite actually looks close to tears. “Yeah…” he says, “Yeah, we’ll keep Hart safe.”

Faker falls to his knees. “What have I done?” He whispers.

Yuma is actually glad to see Faker suffering—maybe he’ll give up the duel and they can all go home. But, nothing is ever easy.

Yuma is so very, very glad that Kotori took Hart and ran, because some kind of Lovecraftian horror is ripping out of Faker’s body and reanimating it. A red, fiery spirit hangs over the field.

“This duel is not over,” It proclaims as Number 92 is mysteriously revived.

“And just what the fuck are you?” Yuma asks.

“Why, I am the Barian who made the deal with Faker,” the thing says. “And if he won’t carry out our deal of his own free will, then I’ll just force him to uphold it.” The Barian flies at Faker, who undergoes a monstrous transformation. His skin turns red and wings sprout from his back, and a mysterious symbol emerges from his forehead.

“Yikes,” Yuma says.

“I concur,” says Ryoga.

Number 92 forces the monsters on the trio’s side of the field into defense position, and it gains 1000 attack points for each monster that has been banished. It has 4000 attack points. Kite snarls at the Barian, but falls to the side as he clutches his chest.

“Don’t fall asleep yet,” The Barian laughs from Dr. Faker’s body, “It’s my turn!”

The Barian activates a continuous spell card, if a card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, his opponent will take 800 damage. 92 attacks Neo Galaxy-Eyes but Kite activates a trap allowing him to banish Galaxy eyes.

But, the ATK of 92 increases by 1000 points. Kite isn’t done though, he activates the effect of a card in his hand, sending it to the Graveyard to target two banished monsters and inflict damage to the Barian equal to their combined ATKs. He chooses Neo Galaxy-Eyes and Shark Drake Vice. With 7300 points of damage, heading to the Barian, it looks like the duel is over, but the Barian activates the other effect of his trap, negating the attack and the damage. The Barian sets a card, laughing, and ends his turn.

Kite falls once more, and Ryoga kneels by his side to check his pulse. Ryoga gives Yuma a wide-eyed look. “It’s not good,” he whispers.

“Well, fuck everything,” Yuma mutters. She’s the last one standing, with 100 life points to the Barian’s 150, and she has no monsters.

But them something incredible happens—the sphere field begins to glow silver, and it starts to descend.

“What in the world?!” The Barian cries.

Yuma looks up—Hart hovers next to the muzzle of the canon, with Orbital helping him fly. Hart waves to Yuma. “The Barian has no power over you!” He screams.

Yuma starts to laugh and cry at the same time—Astral is being set free. She starts running towards the edge of the platform. “MY WILL IS AS STRONG AS YOURS!” She screams as she vaults off the edge of the platform.

Within the sphere, Astral screams back, “MY KINGDOM IS AS GREAT!”

Yuma collides with the sphere, and it breaks open. She and Astral collide, wrapping their arms around each other. Yuma kisses Astral, and then her body flies apart. It burns as it’s knit back together, but she’s cold as ice. Her cells buzz with an electric current, and she feels like she’s just been wrapped in the softest blanket in the world. She feels alive and safe, powerful and fragile, but most of all, she feels loved.

When Yuma and Astral go crashing back to earth, they are one force combined—they are Zexal.

Yuma twists their body from side to side. “Someday I’ll get used to this whole dick thing,” she mutters. “Today is not that day.”

“So,” The Barian growls, “You are the force from Astral world.”

“No, I’m a force of love,” Yuma says. “I’m here to take you down. A true duelist can find their way out of any battle. With my power, I can draw the very card I need for victory!” Yuma looks up at Hart. “Get Kotori,” she says. “And get out.”

Hart leaves, and Yuma starts her turn. She draws Zexal Weapon Ultimate Shield, summons it, and activates its’ effect.

“I bring back Neo Galaxy eyes, Shark Drake, and Hope Ray!”

Since there are 3 less banished cards in this game, 92’s attack goes down to 2000.

Yuma equips Hope Ray with Ultimate Shield and Xyz Unity, the former of which increases Hope Ray’s attack by 7300. Hope Ray attacks, but the Barian activates his face-down card, so he can negate up to two attacks per turn. In banishing a card, the attack of 92 goes up.

The Barian forces Utopia Ray to attack again; 92 will deal Yuma the damage that the Barian would have taken but Yuma is a step ahead. She activates the other effect of Ultimate Shield, increasing the attack of Hope Ray further, while also negating the effects of 92.

The attack lands. The Barian is defeated.

Dr. Faker’s body returns to normal, and the Barian vanishes. The golden light of the Number cards collides with Yuma and Astral’s shared body, and she can feel Astral absorbing them. They’ve done it, they’ve gathered all the remaining Numbers.

Above them, the muzzle of the canon begins to explode.

“HERE WE GO!” Yuma screams. She takes a running leap across the floor and skids to a halt next to Faker’s prone body. She grabs his wrist and yells, “Orbital, any day now!”

“Yuma…” Faker says weakly, “Why are you saving me?”

“I’m not saving you,” Yuma snaps, “I’m having you arrested as soon as we get out of here.”

Orbital comes careening back into the trash chute, picking up Ryoga and Kite, and then coming for Yuma and Faker.

“Oof,” the robot groans as it flies the four (or are they five? Yuma is still fused with Astral, after all) of them out of the trash chute. “So much weight!”

“Quit complaining and keep flying,” Kite snaps.

 

* * *

 

Kotori stares at Heartland tower as it starts to collapse. Orbital left them a safe distance away, on the roof of an empty parking garage, but unfortunately there’s nowhere to hide, to keep Hart from seeing the fall of the tower.

Hart sobs, holding his arms out towards the falling building. “My brother, my brother!” he cries.

“It’ll be okay,” Kotori says, choking back tears of her own, “Yuma has a plan, Yuma always has a…”

She cuts off as she hears screaming. She looks up just in time to see Yuma falling from the sky, clinging to Faker. Yuma cushions Faker’s fall with her own body, the armor of her Zexal form protecting her, but it’s still quite a hard fall.

“Fucking robot!” Yuma yells into the sky, “You couldn’t have lowered me more, first?!”

Orbital lands, depositing Kite and Ryoga gently. “You weren’t injured,” it says defensively.

Hart screams and runs to Kite. “Nii-sama!”

Kite scoops Hart up and swings him around. He covers Hart’s face in kisses. “I’m never letting you go again,” Kite vows. “Never as long as I live.”

Kotori bursts into tears, Yuma unfuses herself from Astral and runs to her side. “Hey, it’s okay now,” she says. “I release you from the duel gang, you never have to worry about this happening ever again.”

“You always make me worry!” Kotori wails.

Ryoga lies on his back, clutching his stomach, but he laughs. “You owe that girl so much,” he tells Yuma, “She put up with a ton of crap this past week.”

“I’ll pay her back,” Yuma says as she pats Kotori’s back. “But first, you need to get to the hospital.”

“Already on it!” Orbital says, giving Yuma a salute. “I have called a chopper to take us all to the hospital!”

“Who’s going to pilot a chopper over here?” Yuma asks.

She gets her answer shortly.

“Long time no see!” Gauche yells as the helicopter lands on the other side of the parking lot.

Yuma runs up to the chopper just as the door opens and Droite sticks her head out.

“YOU’RE OKAY!” Yuma screams, running to Droite and hugging her tightly. “Wait, do you remember me? Do you remember yourself?!” She leans back and shakes Droite, “What day is it?!”

Droite laughs and pats Yuma’s shoulders. “I’m fine,” she says. “Don’t worry about me.”

Yuma bursts into tears. She crawls into the chopper and lays down. She just wants to sleep for ten years.

“You okay?” Astral asks, stroking her hair.

Yuma sniffles, “Peachy,” she says.

The chopper quickly fills up—Ryoga is on a stretcher, and Kite gets hooked up to an EKG. Kotori climbs in and yelps, “It’s Astral! I can see him!”

“Me, too,” Kite says, and Ryoga nods as well.

Yuma can’t even be happy that they can see Astral, she’s crying too hard.

Faker is conscious, and watches it all. “This is all my fault,” he says quietly. “My children, these children…”

Yuma stops crying and glares at him. “Oh don’t worry, you’ll make up for it!”

“Yuma,” Kite sighs, “Not in front of my brother.”

Yuma bites her tongue, but Hart actually shakes his finger at Faker. “Papa, you do owe Yuma a lot. Most importantly, she won the WDC. That means she gets a wish, and since Heartland can’t grant her wish, that means you have to.”

Yuma laughs. “I ought to get two wishes for putting up with all this crap,” she says.

Gauche laughs as well. “After all this, that’s all you can think about?” He asks her.

“I’m kidding,” Yuma admits, “To be honest, I wouldn’t even know what to wish for.”

“You can have two,” Faker says, “If you want.”

“Well, I can take care of one wish,” Ryoga says weakly. “Rio’s doctor called me, he said her brain activity is increasing. She’s probably gonna wake up soon.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Is that true, or is the blood loss fucking with you?!”

“Yuma!” Kite screams, covering Hart’s ears.

“It’s true!” Kotori yells, “I was with him when he got the call!”

Yuma lets out a whoop and pumps her fists in the air. “RIO’S WAKING UP PRAISE THE LORD!” Then she gasps, “Oh my god wait, I have the perfect wishes!” She smiles and turns to Faker. “First, that you set up a college fund for me, and second, I want you to pay for me to have the best goddamn lawyer in this country.”

Kotori gives Yuma a puzzled look. “What good will that do?” She asks.

“You’ll see,” Yuma tells her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, biggest difference was Hart and the Astral world destroying canon.


	32. Reprieve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma’s wearing the dress she wore to the WDC ball, but this time she’s wearing heels, so it takes all her concentration not to trip. She steps up to the podium and looks out at the people that are staring at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not an episode rewrite, not really. Instead it's in place of 72-73, because there's no way my Yuma would use her wish to duel Kite.

“And then I used my beefed-up Hope Ray to totally kick the Barian’s ass, and it left Faker alone, and then Orbital flew the four of us out of there, and then Droite and Gauche scooped us up with the helicopter, and now here we are!” Yuma finishes. She grabs the cup of water off her bedside table and downs it. “Whew, that was a long story,” she mutters.

Akari purses her lips. “You honestly expect me to believe that?” She asks.

Well, considering that Yuma left out Astral, Zexal, the power of the Numbers, and Astral world avoiding destruction by a canon…yeah, the rest is totally believable.

“It’s true!” Kotori insists, “I saw everything!”

“I can get Kite, Ryoga, and Faker in here if you don’t believe me,” Yuma says with a shrug. Though, she has no idea where any of them are, they all got separated after they got to the hospital. Yuma’s being treated for minor injuries and dehydration, and she’s pretty sure Kite’s in the cardiac ward and Ryoga is in surgery, but she’s got no way to know for sure—Akari confiscated Yuma’s phone.

“I believe Yuma and Kotori!” Tokunosuke says, raising his hand.

Akari glares at him and he wilts, putting his hand down. Tetsuo, Cathy, and Takashi look away as well.

“Well I’m glad you believe me, Tokunosuke,” Yuma says, “And I bet grandma will believe me. Why would I lie?”

Akari glowers. “Okay, let’s say this is true. It still makes no sense that—”

“Faker would sell his soul to an alien to heal his son?” Yuma offers. “I know, I called him out on that.”

“No, Yuma,” Akari says, “Heartland disappeared! Where is his body?”

Oh yeah, Yuma didn’t tell her sister about the hole to certain damnation either, just that Heartland fell into a trash chute. “Hey, I wasn’t there for that!” Yuma says, “I’m just repeating what I was told.”

Kotori flounders. “I mean, he did fall into a trash chute,” she says nervously, “Maybe…his body got crushed and incinerated?”

“We could only be so lucky,” Yuma says. “Maybe he escaped and went on the run. Does it matter either way? His reputation is destroyed—I saw your article, it was very well written.”

Akari looks momentarily flattered. “Yeah, my publisher was in shock, he didn’t even try to yell at me for grammar and—hang on, we were talking about you! Even if all that is true, you’re still grounded!”

“For what?!” Yuma demands.

“Putting yourself in danger like that!” Akari says. “You went into a collapsing building, you put your life on the line! You’re in the hospital!”

There’s a knock on the door and a doctor enters. “Is this a bad time?” He asks.

“No,” says Yuma, before her sister can say otherwise, “What’s up, doc?”

The doctor smiles at her. “Your blood work came back, and everything looks good. I strongly recommend you take it easy for a few days, and we’re going to give you a tetanus booster just to be on the safe side, but you should recover quickly.”

Yuma grins. “See, Akari? I’m fine! Now can I have my phone back? I wanna go see Hart!”

Akari hesitates, and Yuma continues, “Not like I can’t just have Kotori text Kite for me anyway.”

Akari throws her hands up. “Ugh, fine! But I’m taking your skateboard for a week, you’re banged up enough as it is.”

Like Yuma cares about the stinking board. She texts Kite and Ryoga as she gets her booster shot, and by the time the nurses give her the okay to go, Kite texts her back with a room number.

“Y’all coming?” Yuma asks her friends.

“It’s probably for the best we not overwhelm Hart,” Kotori says. “And as for me, I need a nap.”

Yuma laughs. “Okay, I’ll talk to you guys later.”

They say their goodbyes, and Yuma takes off. Kite didn’t tell her if it was his room number or Hart’s that he was texting her, but it turns out, it’s both.

“You get to be together?” Yuma asks as she enters the room.

Hart beams at her—his and Kite’s beds are pushed up next to each other, and Faker is sitting beside Hart’s bed. “Papa insisted!” He says.

Yuma glances at Faker. She has to admit, he’s not that scary looking right now. He looks like an ordinary man—skinny, tired, and most importantly, ashamed of himself.

Kite pushes himself up, wincing a little. “What’s your damage?” He asks Yuma.

“Got a tetanus shot,” she says, pointing to her arm, “And I can’t go to school anymore, I’m highly allergic.”

Hart giggles. “Did the doctor really say that?”

Yuma nods. “Yeah, the only cure is Labyrinth. I gotta watch it 24/7.”

“You have no power over me!” Hart cries.

Kite grins tiredly. “He’s going to say that to get out of everything, you know.”

“Good,” Yuma says, “That’s exactly what I did when I was a kid.”

Faker clears his throat. Yuma folds her arms and waits.

“I don’t know what to say to you,” Faker says, “You’ve been such a hero, for my sons and myself. You…are truly an extraordinary young lady, and I am sorry for what I put you through.”

Yuma sits on Kite’s bed. “What happened to my father?” She asks.

“I don’t know,” Faker says. “I wouldn’t even know how to begin to find out where he is.”

“And my mother?” Yuma asks,

Faker winces. “I…I don’t know that either. Mirai never came to me, but I know your father did tell her where we were going.”

“She probably went after him,” Yuma mutters. She sighs. “Alright, well, I suppose there’s not much I can do.” She punches Kite in the shoulder, albeit gently. “That’s his job now.”

“Ow, what the heck?” Kite grumbles.

“Well, you’re not hunting numbers anymore, and you’re not doing anything that can hurt your heart further, you giant loser,” She says, gesturing to the equipment around Kite’s bed, “So you’re on parallel world duty. We gotta figure out where my dad and Tron went when they vanished. It’s for science.”

“Yeah but who made you the boss?” Kite asks.

“Um, I’m the leader of this duel gang, remember?” Yuma asks.

“Ugh, that’s over with,” Kite says, rolling his eyes. “We’re not in a gang anymore.”

Yuma laughs and pats his cheek. “Oh honey, you’re in the gang until I say you’re not in the gang.”

“You should do it, nii-sama,” Hart says. “You owe Yuma, too.”

“Yeah, and speaking of,” Yuma says, “Dr. Faker, I know now isn’t an ideal time, so here’s what I’m going to do, I’ll give you my phone number, and you call me when you’re ready to talk lawyers.”

Faker nods. “Yes, I’ll be sure to do that.”

Yuma scribbles her phone number on a piece of paper for him, and then her phone rings with a text from Ryoga. Yuma reads it and leaps to her feet. “This has been fun but I gotta go, my friend is out of a coma!”

 

* * *

 

Yuma walks to the long-term care facility. She takes her time, skipping, spinning, and stopping to smell the flowers. Why rush? It’s only fair to give Ryoga time with Rio, and Rio will still be there in an hour.

“You’ve done so well, Yuma,” Astral says.

“Why, thank you,” Yuma says. “How are you feeling after all that nonsense, by the way?”

“Tired,” Astral says, “And it will take me a while to go through the numbers we gained today.”

“No rush,” Yuma says with a shrug. “We both need a vacation after all.”

Astral smiles. “Will you tell Rio about me?”

“Of course!” Yuma says, “You’re my boyfriend, after all.”

Astral chuckles. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

When Yuma walks into the facility, she’s recognized immediately. One of the employees actually hugs her and says that everyone is thrilled with Rio’s progress. Yuma can hardly contain her excitement, and she dances around the elevator as it takes her to Rio’s floor. She calms down before she goes into the room, she has to, she has no idea what condition Rio or Ryoga are in.

Yuma knocks on the door and gently pushes it open. Rio is sitting up, but she’s leaning against Ryoga’s chest as he sits behind her. Her eyes are still covered, but she turns toward the door.

“Yuma?” She calls softly.

Yuma starts crying—it’s been so long since she last heard her best friend’s voice.

“Hi, Rio,” she says, her voice breaking.

Rio grins. “Call me Blind Mag.”

Yuma laughs and sobs at the same time. “Are you…are you really…?”

“No,” Ryoga says, rolling his eyes, “She’s being a nerd.”

Rio laughs, and Yuma staggers to the bed and collapses on it, taking Rio’s hands. “I missed you so much,” Yuma sobs, “You giant nerd.”

Rio feels her way up Yuma’s arms and hugs her. “Sorry if I scared you just then. I can kind of see,” she says gesturing to her eyes, “Just shadows right now, but the doctor says that’s normal, and my vision should get better soon. My eyes are covered because, you know, light and all that.”

Yuma leans back and wipes her cheeks. “Good,” she says. “Good, I’m…I’m so glad you’re going to be okay. Oh Rio, you have no idea how happy I am that you’re alright!”

Rio pulls Yuma in for another hug. “Ryoga was just telling me some of what I missed. You both joined duel gangs? Honestly, I can’t leave you two alone. And right now he’s got stitches in his abdomen, so I can’t elbow him, but you!” She leans back and socks Yuma on the arm. “You’re dating my brother?! And a ghost?! Yuma, you gotta fill me in!”

Yuma laughs. She takes the key off of her neck and puts it in Rio’s hand. “I have so much to tell you.”

 

* * *

 

The lawyer that Faker hooked her up with is a middle-aged woman named Mori Nagisa. She sounds imposing, and looks strict from the pictures Yuma found of her online, but when Yuma goes to her office, accompanied by her sister because Akari has to be involved in everything, she’s greeted warmly by Mori-san.

“I’ve read quite a lot about you, Yuma,” she says as she welcomes Yuma in. “You’re quite the accomplished young lady.”

“Thanks,” Yuma says. “I read about you, too. Did you really get the largest settlement in Japan’s history?”

Akari looks mortified at Yuma, but Mori-san laughs. “I did! So tell me what can I do for you?”

Yuma takes a seat. “Well, I want to sue some people. Including, oddly enough, the guy who’s paying you to help me, and the city of Heartland, and the Arclight family. I also want to file a few restraining orders. I have evidence…” she shows Mori-san the pictures from the WDC, medical records of her injuries, and Rio’s medical records.

“Who is this young lady?” Mori-san asks, looking at Rio.

“My best friend,” Yuma says, “I’m here on her behalf, too.”

Mori-san looks a little puzzled, but intrigued. “Well, you have my attention, Yuma. Tell me more.”

Yuma smiles at her. “Some of it is kind of unbelievable, but the people involved are all likely to back up my accusations, even the ones against them. Maybe that’s the most unbelievable part of it.”

 

* * *

 

The doorbell rings and Yuma springs to answer it. She knows who it’s going to be, anyway.

“Rio, Ryoga!”

Rio grins and gives Yuma a hug. “I missed you!” She says, though it’s only been a day since they last saw each other. Then she gasps, “Akari, I missed you too! And Haru!”

Akari and grandma hug Rio, and Akari even gets misty-eyed.

“Look at you,” she says tearfully, “I remember chasing you around this house trying to get you to go to bed, and now you’re a beautiful young woman…my god, I feel old.”

“That’s because you are old,” Yuma says.

Akari tugs on Yuma’s hair. “Brat.”

Rio laughs. “Oh, I really missed you two.”

Yuma introduces Rio to Lillybot, and Ryoga helps grandma and Akari set the table for lunch. Rio looks tired, so Yuma insists that she sit and have some tea.

“How’s physical therapy?” Yuma asks her.

“Kicking my butt,” Rio says honestly, “But that means it’s working. The doctors say they’re proud of me.”

“It’s true,” Ryoga says proudly, “She’s surpassed all expectations.”

“But wasn’t that expected?” Rio says smugly.

Ryoga gives her a quick hug, and Yuma takes her hand. “Indeed, as expected of our Rio.”

After lunch Yuma, Rio, and Ryoga head to Yuma’s room. Rio and Yuma sit on Yuma’s bed, and Ryoga watches from the floor as Yuma prepares to show Rio the Numbers.

“Astral, you ready?” Yuma asks, looking down at the Key.

Astral materializes, and Rio covers her mouth. “Oh, my god!”

Yuma, Astral, and Ryoga all stare at her.

“You can see him?” Yuma and Ryoga ask.

“You can see me?” Astral asks.

Rio lowers her hand. “Oh, my,” she says, “Yuma was right, you are beautiful.” She smiles and holds out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

But like Ryoga, Rio can’t touch Astral. Still, the fact that she can see him…

“How?” Yuma wonders.

Astral looks thoughtful. “Well, Rio-san was affected by Tron’s powers, which came from the space between dimensions…Ryoga and Kite were confronted by the same power, and they can see me.”

Rio shrugs. “I may not know why, but I’m glad I can see you. You’re so important to Yuma, and I would like very much to be your friend, Astral-san.”

Astral smiles. “Truly, the feeling is mutual. Please, call me Astral.”

Rio looks delighted. “Then please, call me Rio.”

Yuma doesn’t think she could possibly be happier, but then without thinking, she offers Astral a piece of candy as the four of them talk, and Astral takes it and is able to eat it.

“Oh, wow!” Yuma cries, “So you can’t touch people that aren’t me, but you can indeed eat in the presence of others. This opens up so many opportunities! Astral, we’re going on a date!”

 

* * *

 

Yuma stares down at the cheque in her hands. “What the hell?!” She demands.

Dr. Faker frowns. “Is it not enough?”

“It’s a lot more than Mori-san is charging me,” she says.

Faker nods. “That’s because I had a lot of money on the side, to fund my plans to destroy Astral world. I had backup plans, backup funds, and so on. I’ll be donating a lot of that money, and using more on my sons, but there’s plenty for you, as well.”

“Obscene,” Yuma says.

“I’m sure you can think of some way to use it,” Faker tells her.

And Yuma can, indeed, think of a great way to spend the money Faker has given her.

Her first stop is the biggest Nike outlet in Japan. She gets sweatpants, hoodies, leggings, shirts, sports bras, and of course, shoes. So many shoes that the store gives her free stuff, and the employees help her carry her bags to the car.

“For you,” Yuma tells her shell-shocked sister as she hands her an awesome hoodie. Akari left her alone to shop, but has come back to pick her up.

“Yuma, how much did you buy?” Akari asks.

“It’s not all for me,” Yuma assures, “I even got a t-shirt for grandma, and most of the shoes are for my friends.”

“How many is most?” Akari asks, looking at the boxes of shoes.

Yuma purses her lips. “Maybe…half?”

“So half are for you,” Akari confirms.

“Hey, I wear shoes every day!” Yuma reasons.

Akari sighs. “You know, you really should invest some of that money into a college fund.”

“Oh no,” Yuma says, “Faker will be paying for that, too.”

Akari snorts. “You thought of everything, didn’t you?”

“Well, mom and dad should have paid for it,” Yuma says, “And he took them away from me, so it only makes sense that he fill in their role. You think I was going to allow that burden to be put on you? Plus, who knows what shape mom and dad will be in if they come back before I go to college, maybe they won’t wat to…” Yuma suddenly realizes that Akari is crying. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Akari says quickly, wiping her eyes. “It’s just…Yuma, did you know about grandma’s plan?”

Yuma gulps. “The one where she was going to will her life insurance money to you to pay for my college tuition, and tell you to keep her ashes in a pine box? Or take a loan out against her insurance in case she didn’t die before I went to college? Yeah, I knew.”

Yuma and Akari end up going into the car so they can cry without being seen.

“That was pretty fucked up,” Yuma manages to say after a while. “That grandma even thought of something like that.”

“Well, mom and dad did have money set aside for you,” Akari says, “But obviously, they thought they could add more to it before you went to college. And they have life insurance, but we’ll have to have them declared legally dead to get it, and even then, there’s no body, so…”

They cry some more after that. It’s horrible, thinking about all the things they’ve lost, but both of them are relieved as well. Whoever said money doesn’t buy happiness never laid awake at night, wondering how to pay for school and give a family member a proper burial at the same time.

 

* * *

 

After her Nike shopping spree, Yuma has one more thing that she really, really wants to do. She manages to tear Ryoga away from Rio for a day, and takes him on a date. Well, him and Astral.  Yuma books a private room in a nice restaurant, one that will allow them to take their time, eat as much as they want, and give them privacy besides.

The table has a grill so that they can barbeque their own food, so of course, that’s where they start.

“So, Astral,” Yuma says, turning the menu towards him, “What looks good?”

Astral looks floored. “I…can’t possibly choose.”

So Yuma and Ryoga make the choices for him. Yuma has to bite her lip so she won’t laugh at Astral’s expression as the food comes in. The waitress brings the meat in raw, on platters, and gets it started on the grill, after which Ryoga takes over, and in the meantime, Yuma feeds Astral bites from the side dishes. There’s vegetables, tofu, dipping sauces, and so much more. When the meat is cooked, Yuma feeds herself first, then Astral. it’s delicious, of course, and Astral can’t get enough.

“Slow down,” Ryoga laughs as Astral whines at Yuma to feed him again, “There’s more coming.”

Ryoga and Yuma take turns feeding themselves and Astral. it’s odd to Yuma that Astral can’t simply pick the food up with his own fingers and put it in his mouth, and instead he must be given the food, but it’s sweet to watch Ryoga hold out pieces of sushi and servings of noodles for Astral to gobble up. Astral tries everything, but shows preference right away. He likes beef, but prefers chicken. He doesn’t like tuna or squid, but can’t get enough of shrimp. When he finally gets noodles into his mouth he finds them slimy and unenjoyable, but he likes the noodle broth. Ryoga gives Astral a sip of his soda, and Astral almost spits it back out.

“Oh!” He cries once he’s swallowed the soda, “That was…mobile! It…it popped in my mouth!”

Yuma and Ryoga laugh. “But was it good?” Ryoga asks.

Astral looks thoughtful. “It’s…sweet. I’m not sure if I like it.”

“More for me,” Yuma says happily.

Once the trio have eaten more than enough to keep them full for the rest of the day, it’s time for the second half of their date. Yuma and Ryoga walk hand in hand to the aquarium, with Astral floating above them. Ryoga pays for the tickets before Yuma can even get her wallet out, and she’ll never forgive him for it.

“That’s some heteronormative crap,” she tells him.

“Well if I had let you pay, you would have bought three tickets,” Ryoga says, smirking at her, “And our third party is currently invisible, so what would you have done then?”

Yuma purses her lips. “Hmm…I suppose I would have blamed it on pregnancy hormones.”

Ryoga laughs so hard he chokes on his own spit, and Yuma laughs with him.

“Are you physically capable of carrying a fetus?” Astral asks Yuma.

Yuma gasps and swats at the air around her head. “Mosquitos!” She shrieks, flapping her hands at Astral. “Pesky, nosey mosquitos!”

Astral laughs, and Ryoga wraps his arms around Yuma’s back and leads her along. “Let’s go see some otters.”

Yuma walks with her head resting on Ryoga’s shoulder and her arm around his waist. Together, she and Ryoga watch the otters play, the penguins swim, and sea lions bask before venturing inside to view the fish tanks. There are huge tanks filled with sea horses and tropical fish. Astral is delighted by the creatures, and Yuma and Ryoga read out the names of the fish and identify them for him, and they identify the corals for Astral as well. Yuma takes pictures of the fish as they swim in and out of the plants and coral. The trio see jelly fish, seahorses, eels, and they soon come upon a touch tank. It’s getting late in the day, and there’s no kids around the touch tank. Ryoga and Yuma are able to hold starfish and horseshoe crabs. Astral flees when the staff woman at the touch tanks turns a horseshoe crab over so Ryoga and Yuma can see its’ many legs. They catch up to Astral outside the aquarium’s main attraction.

“It looked like an alien,” Astral says, hugging himself.

“You’re an alien,” Yuma says. “And much more beautiful than a horseshoe crab, not to mention a being that a horseshoe crab couldn’t harm even if it wanted to.”

“I suppose,” Astral says.

The three of them head inside to see Heartland Aquarium’s most prized residents—several whale sharks.

“Oh,” Yuma gasps as they enter the building, “Look at them!”

The whale sharks are visible from the moment they walk inside. Huge, graceful, and imposing. Yuma rushes ahead and presses against the glass, looking up at two of the whales as they swim past. They are beautiful and mesmerizing.

Ryoga sidles up behind Yuma and rests his chin on her shoulder. “Amazing,” he says.

Yuma looks up at Astral—he’s near the top of the glass, looking down at the whales. Yuma lets him take in the sight on his own. She and Ryoga stand at the glass for a few more minutes before heading back to the bleachers. They go midway up and sit so they can watch the whale sharks, fish, and sting rays swim by.

“Who gave you the name ‘Shark?’” Yuma asks.

“I did,” Ryoga answers. “Rikuo didn’t care enough to give everyone a nickname.”

Yuma leans her head on his shoulder once more. “Sorry about the stuff I said to you. About you being cold and all that.”

“Well, I did take your key,” Ryoga says.

“Yeah, but sharks aren’t evil, or cold,” Yuma says. “Just like you weren’t.”

Ryoga turns his head and kisses Yuma’s forehead. “You’ve long been forgiven. I’m sorry, too.”

Yuma takes hold of his hand and squeezes gently. “You’ve long been forgiven as well.”

Briefly, the two sit in silence. Then Yuma starts humming.

“Is that As the World Falls Down?” Ryoga asks crossly.

Yuma grins at him. “Would you rather I hum Magic Dance?”

Ryoga sighs but says, “Do whatever you want, babe.”

Yuma, Ryoga, and Astral stay with the whale sharks until just before the aquarium closes, and then they make their way home. Ryoga leaves Yuma on her doorstep and kisses her goodbye, and he winks at Astral.

“Take care of her,” Ryoga tells him as he walks away.

Astral floats down to Yuma’s side and smiles at her. “Oh, I think it’s quite the opposite,” he says quietly.

They head inside and Yuma goes to her room to change. Astral turns his back to give Yuma privacy, but he continues to talk to her.

“Thank you for today,” he says. “It was…wonderful.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” Yuma agrees. “Our first date. Yours, mine, and Ryoga’s.”

Astral laughs. “And you said dating more than one person wouldn’t work out. I think it’s going just fine.”

Yuma finishes changing and pokes Astral’s leg as she walks by him. “Yes, yes, you were right and I was wrong—dating more than one person can work out.”

Lucky for her, Astral isn’t much of a gloater.

 

* * *

 

Yuma meets her friends at the outdoor fountain in front of the shopping mall. She’s decked out, head to toe, in Nike gear, and she’s got shopping bags with even more Nike gear.

“Yo,” Yuma says, nodding at her friends. “I got you presents.”

“Is that why you asked my foot size?” Takashi asks.

“I asked everyone,” Yuma says. She passes out the boxes. “Now treat these shoes nicely, they’re expensive.”

Everyone gasps as they open the boxes.

“Wow, Yuma!” Tetsuo says.

“Oh, I love them!” Cathy squeals.

Yuma sits next to Kotori. “And you, my dear,” she says as she reaches deep into a bag, “Get something extra.” She hands Kotori a box from a high-end jewelry store, and Kotori’s jaw drops as she opens it and looks at the glittering key-shaped pendant.

“An Empress’ Key. Thanks for all your help,” Yuma says as she fastens the chain around Kotori’s neck.

Kotori looks close to tears. “Yuma…I don’t know what to say.”

“I do,” Yuma laughs, “Everyone put on your shoes, I’m posting a picture of us in our new kicks on Instagram, maybe Nike will see it!”

As far as Yuma knows, the chain never acknowledges her picture, but she doesn’t care—she and her friends look awesome anyway.

 

* * *

 

Mori-san hands Chris his copy of the paperwork. “And now, Mr. Arclight, if you will please sign here…”

Yuma has to keep pinching herself so she won’t laugh. The funniest part of all this is that Chris is posing as Byron Arclight, because Byron doesn’t look like a middle-aged man, and he certainly doesn’t look old enough to settle a lawsuit.

Yuma’s battle with the city of Heartland is ongoing, but she’s settled with Faker and the Arclights. They’re giving her money, enough that even if Faker wasn’t paying her college tuition, she could go anywhere she wants and travel the world two times over. Plus Thomas has to stay away from her for six months, at which time she’ll reconsider based on how he’s done at keeping his promises—that he’ll take anger management classes, publically renounce his title as Asia’s duel champion, and admit he set Ryoga up to cheat.

After Chris signs the paperwork and the check that he’s giving Yuma, it’s time for Yuma to make her appearance at the WDC press conference. After all, everyone wants to know what will become of Yuma’s wish, now that Heartland is missing and disgraced.

Dr. Faker is the one who hosts the conference, introducing himself as Mr. Heartland’s estate manager—which, it turns out, is true.

“As per Tsukumo Yuma’s wish,” Faker announces to the waiting press, “Mr. Heartland’s estate, now seized by the city, will be used to fund recovery programs for victims of sexual assault. Those who were victims of Mr. Heartland will be compensated, though we understand that no amount of money can make up for their trauma, we hope that they will be able to get the resources they need to heal. Heartland City will continue to be a place for the sick and underprivileged, but we will take time to reflect on our mistakes, and we will train employees and work with law enforcement to ensure that all those who come into our city parks and hospitals will be safe. In addition, we support the Mayor’s proposal to vote on renaming Heartland City. Now, I will introduce Ms. Tsukumo.”

The press applaud. Yuma’s wearing the dress she wore to the WDC ball, but this time she’s wearing heels, so it takes all her concentration not to trip. She steps up to the podium and looks out at the people that are staring at her.

“Good afternoon,” Yuma says. “This is pretty surreal to me. I certainly didn’t think that by entering the WDC, I would end up changing the fabric of our city. I hoped I would, but to see it actually happen? It’s amazing. But being part of the carnival…it left me with a sour taste in mouth. Every time I had to look at Mr. Heartland, I wanted to punch something. I wasn’t a victim of his, but it turns out, there’s a population of our city that I got to know very well, a population that has long been silenced. You may know them as delinquents, and many of them are, but many of them are also the product of a society that gives too much power to one person. I got to know some of these people in a part of our city that few go to, but where nearly everyone knows what Mr. Heartland is. It struck me as…horrendous, really, that so many people could know something about a man, and that man was still in a position of power. I know there will be people who will refuse to believe that Mr. Heartland was a predator, but as for me, I believe my friends. I looked into their eyes and saw the horror of what happened to them, and when I had a chance to change it, I took it. I hope that by starting this fund, victims will feel encouraged to seek treatment. To them I say this—what happened was not your fault. You were hurt by someone much bigger and stronger than you, but he has no power over you anymore.”

She thanks the press for their time and leaves. As soon as she’s out of the room, she gets a text—it’s from Kite.

_‘Labyrinth references, really?’_

Yuma grins and texts back,  _‘Would I be me if I didn’t?’_

Akari drives Yuma home. “I’m proud of you, kiddo,” she says, patting Yuma’s knee.

“I’m proud of you, too,” Yuma says, grinning at her sister. “After all, it was your brilliant writing that helped start this charge.”

Akari smiles. “I got another email from a survivor who wants to talk to me. You know how many newspapers and magazines want to publish these interviews?”

Yuma can’t help but feel proud. It’s uncommon for victims to want to only work with a writer rather than a paper, especially a freelance writer, but they liked how Akari handled the situation.

“But you want to keep being freelance?” Yuma asks.

Akari nods, “Yeah, once you go with one paper you lose freedom to write about what you wanna write.” She looks at her phone. “What time is your flight?”

Yuma rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m packed and I have plenty of time.” She elbows her way past her sister into the house and kicks her shoes off.

“Hey, I worry about you, okay?” Akari says, reaching over to ruffle Yuma’s hair. “It’s not every day you fly abroad on your own, after all.”

Yuma grins and races up the stairs. “I just have a few more things to pack,” she calls down.

She’s going to be joining Rio and Ryoga in Florida for a few days—they left for Disney World a few days ago, and Yuma couldn’t join them right away, but she doesn’t mind, they deserve some time to themselves. Luckily, the trip coincides with a school holiday. Ryoga missed some days, but his record is cleaner than Yuma’s.

Astral pops up as Yuma finishes changing. “What is Florida like?” he asks.

“Hot,” Yuma answers. “But it’s not humid right now, thankfully. And wait until you go on the airplane.” She suddenly pauses. “I hope the key doesn’t set off any alarms, seeing as there’s a whole ship in it!”

 

* * *

 

Yuma arrives in Orlando safe and sound, if a little tired. The Key didn’t set off any alarms, and the plane landed safely. She hops on a Disney bus that takes her straight to the hotel, and once she gets to the hotel…

“Yuma!” Rio squeals.

Yuma races up to her best friend and hugs her so tightly, she lifts Rio off her feet. Not hard, since Rio is still so thin!

“Have you been eating?!” Yuma cries, grabbing Rio’s ribs and tickling her.

“I haven’t stopped!” Rio insists, squirming away from Yuma.

“It’s true,” Ryoga says as he joins the pair, “She’s constantly eating.”

Yuma kisses Ryoga’s cheek and hugs him. Astral pops up and waves to them.

Rio smiles. “Hi, Astral,” she says softly. “It’s good to see you.”

“Good to be seen,” Astral says.

“Have you two been enjoying yourselves?” Yuma asks.

Rio’s eyes sparkle behind her glasses—tinted to protect them from the light. “Oh Yuma, it’s absolutely amazing! Crowded, but amazing! We’ve been taking our time, I have a wheelchair that I use since I get tired, or I walk with a cane, but Ryoga has to keep reminding me to take it easy, there’s just so much to do!”

Ryoga gives her an exasperated, but fond look. “I wonder how smart it was to take a coma-recovery patient to Disney world.”

Rio folds her arms and pouts. “The doctor said I’ll be fine!”

“If you take it easy,” Ryoga says.

Rio shakes her head. “Well, I’m taking it easy today! Now come on Yuma, let’s get you checked in so we can go swimming!”

Ryoga’s English is much better than Yuma’s, and Rio’s is surprisingly good considering she hasn’t used it in, well, over a year. Once Yuma is checked in, they do just as Rio suggested—they go swimming!

The pool is fantastic, Yuma catches Astral diving into the water and he even goes down the water slide with her. It’s amazing, being able to be with Rio and Ryoga again, doing what they always wanted to do. They went to Tokyo Disney so many times when they were kids, and now they’re finally at the largest Disney park in the world. And to top it all off, Astral is here, too. Yuma is too happy for words.

“We saw your speech,” Rio says later, as they eat dinner. “You were very eloquent.”

Ryoga nods. “We were proud of you.”

Rio leans in to Yuma and grins at her. “So, how’s the settlement going?”

Yuma rolls her eyes. “The city’s lawyer couldn’t drag his feet more if I put cinderblocks on them. But the Arclights made sure I’ll have enough to support myself on this trip and more importantly, Thomas Arclight has agreed to stay the hell away from the pro-duel circuit.” She takes a bite of her hamburger and then sneakily holds it to the side so Astral can try it.

“Thank god!” Ryoga cries. “He’s staying the hell away from Rio, too.”

“You know, I still don’t remember the actual explosion,” Rio says. “But I do remember that he scared me before we started the duel. He used that duel-anchor thing, too.”

“Uh-oh,” Yuma says, looking at Ryoga’s face, “He’s going to fly home and punch Thomas in the face.” She holds up a french fry and Astral takes half of it in one bite.

“Yuma already got him good,” Rio says, nudging Ryoga’s shoulder. “Enough talk of that, let’s finish dinner and go back in the pool!”

That sounds like a wonderful plan.

 

* * *

 

 The vacation passes by too quickly, even though they take their time enjoying the days they have. When they’re not enjoying the theme parks, they talk. Yuma and Ryoga have filled Rio in on the big events of the year that she missed, but the smaller things come out, as well. Things Astral did or said that Yuma thought was cute, news articles that Ryoga found interesting, and that sort of thing. But the most important thing that comes from the vacation is Rio and Yuma’s new movie obsession.

_“See the where the sky meets the sea, it calls me!”_

_“And no one knows, how far it goes!”_

Ryoga groans and grabs Akari’s arm. “They’ve been singing it all week!”

Akari laughs as she loads Yuma and Rio’s bags into the back of her car. “Yuma told me about it. Moana, right? I can’t wait to see it tonight.”

“I mean it’s a great movie,” Ryoga says, “But when you hear it over and over and over…”

“Is it replacing Labyrinth?” Akari asks.

Rio gasps, “No! Nothing could ever replace Labyrinth! But Moana is like…it’s just amazing!”

They tell Akari all about their trip on the drive to Rio and Ryoga’s apartment. Sayaka meets them downstairs and welcomes the twins home with hugs and kisses. Yuma and Akari help them get their things upstairs, and Yuma gives them each a hug goodbye—though, it’s not goodbye for long.

“You ready for school in two days?”  Yuma asks Rio as she hugs her. She has to go back tomorrow, but Rio needs a day to recover.

“I’m excited!” Rio says, “It’ll be just like old times!”

“Nerd,” Yuma teases, but she’s just as excited. It’ll be so much fun!


	33. Invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma can’t wait for Rio to come to school, because at least then there will be someone new for people to focus on. It’s been months since she won the WDC, but girls are still coming up to her and asking her to get Ryoga’s autograph for them, or pass notes on to Kite or…IV, of all people.

Yuma can’t wait for Rio to come to school, because at least then there will be someone new for people to focus on. It’s been months since she won the WDC, but girls are still coming up to her and asking her to get Ryoga’s autograph for them, or pass notes on to Kite or…IV, of all people.

“They don’t even call him Thomas!” Yuma fumes to her friends at lunch, “Nor do they seem to care that he admitted to setting Ryoga up.” She just got back from vacation, she’s so not ready to hear Thomas’ name again.

“Some girls have no taste,” Cathy sniffs. “Luckily, I’m not one of them.” She flashes her nails at the group, “Want me to claw them?” she asks, and Yuma sees Tokunosuke shrink back.

Yuma shakes her head. “Thanks but, no thanks. It’ll be over soon, Rio will be here tomorrow.”

“She must be feeling better after that trip,” Takashi says. “How was it?”

Yuma grins and reaches into her backpack. “Got you guys cool stuff,” she says, passing around gift bags. She got them pins, pencils and pens, and keychains.

“Neat!” Tetsuo says. “Wow, but wasn’t it awkward for Rio? I mean, you’re dating her brother.”

Yuma scoffs. “Please, Ryoga was the third wheel.” She laughs at their faces. “No, not really. But I mean, the three of us were friends before Ryoga and I were dating, so we kind of just…fell back into that.” She looks down at her lap. “It was nice. There were times when I could almost pretend things were normal.” Her smile fades. “I’m so happy to have my friend back, and I know how lucky she is, but then there would be times that I could tell how tired she was, and she’d sit in her wheelchair and just kind of slump over. People think waking up from a coma is a miracle but…it’s a lot of work.” She balls her hands into fists. “Damn Tron and Faker and Thomas…every time I think I’m getting over this…!”

A hand lands on Yuma’s shoulder and she jumps.

“Sorry,” Kotori says. She rubs Yuma’s back. “It’s going to be okay, Yuma. We’re here for you if things get to be too much and you need to vent.”

Yuma gives herself a little shake and smiles at her friends. “I know that, and I’m always so grateful to you guys. I just can’t help feeling like this is almost…too easy. That Barian that took over Faker, we didn’t hurt it, you know? Not really. I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Let it drop!” Tokunosuke cries, holding up his fists, “We’ll take them on, right guys?”

“I’m in,” Tetsuo says.

Takashi nods. “Let them try to get past me.”

Cathy inspects her nails. “If my cards don’t get them, these nails will.”

Kotori reaches into her backpack and pulls out the taser Yuma gave her. Yuma’s jaw drops.

“You took that to school?!” She cries.

Kotori shrugs. “Gotta be prepared.”

It’s funny, but it’s also kind of…not. After all, Yuma’s not the only one this nonsense affected.

The rest of the day seems to drag on. Yuma can’t wait to go home and take a nap, but she ends up not even lasting until the end of the day. She falls asleep during last period, and she has that same stupid dream again.

_Yuma finds herself standing on a crumbling ledge, facing a huge door that’s covered in chains._

_“I’ve been here before,” Yuma blurts. “I’ve said that before, too.”_

_“You have a chance,” a deep voice says. “A chance to unlock great power, but that power comes with a price. You will have to give up that which is precious to you.”_

_What could Yuma possibly lose that’s precious to her? Yeah she has money and a restraining order now, but that’s hardly something precious to her. More precious are her friends…wait a minute._

The bell rings and Yuma falls out of her chair, landing hard on the floor. Thank god she doesn’t wear the girls’ uniform, or she’d be flashing the entire back of the class.

“Fuck my life,” Yuma groans, staring at the ceiling.

Kotori helps her to her feet. “Want me to walk you home?” She asks.

Yuma nods. “Yeah, I might fall asleep on my feet.”

“We’re staying here,” Tetsuo says, “Getting in some duel practice.”

“Have fun,” Yuma tells them. She waves goodbye and she and Kotori head out.

“I can’t wait to hang out with Rio tomorrow,” Kotori says.

“She’s excited to meet everyone,” Yuma says. “And excited to get back to class, like a giant nerd.”

“Will she be okay?” Kotori asks. “It’s the middle of the year, and she did miss a lot of school.”

“Ah, about that,” Yuma starts, but she cuts off as her phone rings. She glances at the caller ID—“It’s Ryoga,” she tells Kotori, and she answers. “’Sup?”

 _“Yuma, something weird is happening to Rio,”_  Ryoga says.

Yuma’s heart drops. “Weird how?!” She demands.

 _“We’re at the city hospital,”_  Ryoga tells her.  _“Come quick.”_

Yuma hangs up and Kotori, seeing her panicked face, hails a cab. The two of them clamber into it and Yuma tells the driver to go to the hospital. “It’s Rio,” she tells Kotori.

 

 

Yuma barrels into Rio’s room. “What happened?!” She gasps.

Rio is lying in a bed with her eyes closed, and Yuma panics further, but Rio opens her eyes. “Yuma,” she says weakly, holding out her hand.

Yuma rushes to Rio’s side and takes her hand. Rio’s eyes are glazed over, and she’s breathing hard. “They’re coming,” Rio pants, “The Barians…they’re coming to take what’s precious to you.”

Ryoga strokes Rio’s hair. “She collapsed,” he tells Yuma, “She seemed like she was in pain, and she keeps saying that the Barians are coming. I swear to god if they hurt her…”

Ryoga continues, but Yuma can’t hear him. She feels like she swallowed ice. They’re coming to take what’s precious to her? That’s what the door said to her! But what could the Barians be coming to take?

Then it hits her—it’s Astral.

“It’s Astral!” Yuma gasps. “It’s always been Astral!”

“What’s Astral?” Ryoga asks.

Yuma shakes her head. “Rio,” she says firmly, “It has no power over you. You know the words—For my will is as strong as yours…”

“And my kingdom is as great,” Rio whispers.

A doctor gently moves Yuma aside and places an oxygen mask over Rio’s face. “I’m concerned about her labored breathing,” he says. “I’d like to get an x-ray of her chest, she may have fluid in her lungs.”

But even now, Rio’s breathing starts to even out. “You have no power over me,” she says, her voice stronger, “You have no power over me.”

Yuma knows that the doctors will still give Rio a thorough examination. She pulls Ryoga aside. “Thomas used a card that Tron gave him to hurt her,” she says, “I wonder if that card was from the other dimension? It would explain why the Barians are affecting Rio.”

Ryoga scowls. “Why does everything come back to that guy?”

Yuma’s phone rings, this time a video call from Tetsuo. She answers, but it’s not Tetsuo’s face she sees.

“Who the fuck are you?” She asks the scarred, muscular guy on the screen.

“A servant of Barian world,” the man answers.

“Yuma!” Tetsuo’s voice yells, “Don’t come! Don’t listen to him!”

The guy on the screen laughs. “I’ve come to take the Numbers,” he says. “And if you want to save your friends, you’ll bring the Numbers to your school.”

The call disconnects, and Yuma stands in disbelief. “What the hell? How did that madman get on school grounds?!”

“Call the police!” Kotori yells.

“He said he was a servant of Barian world!” Yuma says, “No one else knows about Barian world, that means the Barians know where I am, know who my friends are, and have severely underestimated how much of a threat I am. So yeah, I could call the police…or I could face this dude and show Barian world what I’m all about.” She takes the key off her neck and hands it Kotori. “I’m going to need you to look after this for me. If they’ve come for Astral, they can’t get him.”

“But you need Astral for the Numbers,” Kotori says. “And Astral would want to help you.”

Yuma smiles. “I know, and maybe against a weaker opponent I wouldn’t be worried, but that guy was jacked. He could steal the key without even dueling me for it, so I need to be safe.”

Kotori takes the key and holds it to her chest. “Okay, I’ll hold on to it, but I think you’re making a mistake.”

“Noted,” Yuma says, “And I’m sorry you think that.”

Yuma takes off running, out of the hospital, down the road, and all the way back to school. She’s not letting the Barians get Astral, and she’s not letting them get her friends either.

 

* * *

 

Ryoga looks at his watch. “What do you think, give her a…fifteen minute head start?”

Kotori purses her lips. “Ten?”

They glance at each other.

“Twelve,” they agree.

 

* * *

 

Yuma picks herself up from the ground and wipes blood from her lip. So, Chaos Numbers are now a thing that she has to deal with, and they can bypass the rule that Numbers can only be destroyed by Numbers.

“This is just fan-tucking-fastic,” she snarls. Now Hope is gone—how poetic.

“And my attack isn’t over,” says the madman, “You’re going to savor every last bit of Barian world’s power.”

“You’re gonna savor my fist in your mouth by way of your ass in about two minutes!” Yuma screams.

Then this maniac sends 2000 points of damage her way, and she’s left with only 500 life points. And she’s got a feeling this dude isn’t acting under his own free will—he’s got some weird silver symbol on his forehead that sure doesn’t look like anything a biker would wear, and she’s wondering if it’s from Barian world. This day just keeps getting better, and the terror is starting to set in. Maybe she should have called the cops.

 

* * *

 

Apparently every single police vehicle has been vandalized and it’s going to take a while to get to the school. Ryoga knows this because Kite called him to say that Heartland is now overrun with gang members who are all heading to one place—Heartland middle school.

“Okay,” Ryoga says. “Rio, Kotori and I have to go now.”

Rio nods, and she grabs Ryoga’s hand and squeezes it. “If you let anything happen to Yuma I will never forgive you,” she says.

Ryoga nods. “I would expect nothing less from you.”

He and Kotori race out. “Okay, here’s the plan,” Ryoga tells Kotori, “You take the back way to school, I’m going to go head off these gang members.”

“And I need to call Akari!” Kotori says, “This is a major scoop!”

It’s hard to run and talk on the phone at the same time, but Kotori manages to convey that Akari needs to investigate how all the police vehicles in the city were vandalized at once, and then she’s able to focus just on running…until a voice almost makes her fall on her face.

_“Kotori…”_

She manages to catch herself before she falls. “Who said that?!”

_“Kotori…I need to help Yuma…”_

“Astral?” She gasps, “Is that you?”

_“Help me…”_

Kotori gains new energy and speeds off. “KATTOBINGU!” She screams.

 

* * *

 

Yuma has 100 life points left and she’s floundering. If this is what it’s going to be like to battle Barian world, then Yuma is in serious trouble. She can’t imagine facing another opponent like this. Maybe she won’t get a chance.

“Yuma!!”

Yuma turns and sees Kotori running towards her like a woman possessed. Yuma turns and takes a step towards her. “Kotori, it’s dangerous,” she gasps, and then her knees buckle and she falls.

Yuma knows she’s in trouble, because the ground feels so comfortable. She could lay here for a year and forego the match, certainly.

“Yuma…” Kotori wheezes, “I brought Astral…”

The Key is pressed into Yuma’s hand, and she manages to open her eyes and look at it. It glows with golden light, and then Astral is there, leaning over Yuma and stroking her hair.

“Why are you being so reckless?” Astral asks her. He’s fading in and out.

“Because…” Yuma says, “They’re coming to take you away. You shouldn’t have come, it’s too easy for them to take you.”

“Who’s going to take me away?” Astral asks.

“The Barians,” Yuma says. “They want you…”

“And you think I can’t stand up for myself?” Astral asks.

“I think they’re too strong,” Yuma admits. “I think it’s hopeless.”

“Bullshit,” Astral says. “Maybe if you were alone, but not when we’re together.” He leans down and smiles at Yuma. “I’m so proud of you, and so grateful. You were willing to go this far to protect me? You were willing to suffer this much so you wouldn’t lose me? Yuma, if there was ever a need for proof that you loved me, this is the ultimate. But I love you, too, and I want to protect you just as much.”

Yuma coughs and sits up. “Oh, I suppose you’re right,” she says. “I’m sorry I tried to keep you out of it.”

“Apology accepted,” Astral says, helping Yuma to her feet—how is it that she can feel him even though they’re not alone? Maybe she’s hallucinating. “Now, let’s finish this.”

Blue light shines from Astral’s body. He screams at the jacked up man across from Yuma, “I won’t forgive those who hurt Yuma, or my friends!”

Yuma puts the key around her neck, and the blue light fades.

She…actually doesn’t remember much from the remainder of the duel. She knows she brings back Hope, and performs a Chaos Xyz change, and then next thing she knows…

“We won?” She asks, staring at the guy across from her as he lies on his back.

Kotori crashes into Yuma and hugs her. “You did it!”

Yuma looks at Astral, who winks at her. “Did we use Zexal?”

“No,” Astral says, “But I may have taken control of your body for a moment there.”

Yuma does feel…strangely well-rested. And she’s minus the scrapes and bruises she had a few seconds ago. Odd.

The guy across from her gets to his feet, laughing. “This isn’t the end!” he screams, “As we speak, my army is on the way here, just waiting to take you out!”

“Oh, you think so?” Kotori asks.

The school gates open, and in walks…Ryoga and Kite.

“You guys!” Yuma screams. She runs to the gates and hugs both of them. Kite sputters, but Ryoga laughs and kisses Yuma’s cheek.

“Where’d you come from?” Yuma asks Kite.

“I’ve been monitoring the city, saw some strange gravitational nonsense going on,” he says, pushing Yuma off of him gently. “Followed it to a mass of bikers getting ready to attack.”

“Yeah, and he called me,” Ryoga says.

“What?!” Jacked-dude yells, “My army was defeated by children?”

“You call that an army?” Kite scoffs.

“Who you calling a child?!” Ryoga demands.

The dude is so busy staring at Kite and Ryoga that he doesn’t notice Orbital come up behind him. “Direct attack,” says the Robot, and he shocks the dude with his very own taser.

Yuma laughs so hard she falls to the ground with it. Oh, the ground is still quite comfy. She needs a nap.

Yuma’s friends rush over and lift her to her feet. “You okay?” Tetsuo asks.

“I need a nap,” she announces. “But first, Kite, I have stuff for you and Hart from Disney world. Where is my bag?”

“You’re delirious,” Kite says.

“No, it’s true!” Yuma tells him.

“Yuma,” Kite says, “Barian world is making their move on this world. That guy was being controlled by them. This is not the time for souvenirs.”

Kotori dashes over to Yuma and hands her the bag with Kite and Hart’s stuff. Yuma holds it up to Kite. “I know there’s an invasion coming,” she says crossly, “So let me be happy for ten seconds, will you?” She shoves the bag into Kite’s hands, then snatches it back and takes out a mouse-ear headband, which she puts on Kite’s head.

Ryoga snorts. “That’s a good look for you, Kite.”

Yuma takes a picture before Kite rips the headband off, then turns to Ryoga. “How’s Rio?”

“Well, she’s not coming to school tomorrow,” he says, “But she’ll be okay.”

Yuma pouts. “Oh…well, as long as she’s okay.”

Cathy comes over and puts a hand on Yuma's shoulder. "Let's get you home now, yeah?"

“Yeah,” Yuma agrees, “Before my sister grounds me for something.”

But Akari is too busy writing about how incompetent Heartland’s police force is to notice Yuma coming home covered in dirt from her duel. Yuma sneaks upstairs to bathe and sleep. Just another typical day, it would seem.


	34. Circus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma feels like her school is slowly turning into a three-ring circus.

Yuma kicks up her board and lands on the handrail. “Kattobingu!” She screams, and as she nears the bottom of the rail, she jumps…and lands on her butt.

“Damnit,” she says from the floor, watching her board bang into a garden wall. Nearly had it that time.

“Look out!” Calls a boy’s voice, but before Yuma can move, a body collides with her.

“OYE!” Yuma screams as she tries to untangle herself from the boy, “Don’t you know how to walk? Why didn’t you move?!”

The boy sits up—he’s kind of cute, in an adorable sense, not a hot sense—and he gasps. “You’re Tsukumo Yuma!”

“I am,” Yuma says. “Do I know you?”

“You’re the WDC champion!” He says. “I’m Shingetsu Rei, I’m a huge fan of yours!”

“Really?” Yuma says. She looks at his uniform. “You go to my school?”

“I just transferred!” Rei says, “I was so happy to learn I was going to the same school as you.”

Yuma gets up and retrieves her board. “We’ll both be late if we don’t get a move on.”

Rei gasps. “Oh no, I can’t let you be late!” He grabs her arm. “I know a short cut!”

“How d’you know a short cut, you said you just transferred,” Yuma says, snatching her arm back. “Now I know a short cut, and it’s fun. Follow me!”

She leads Rei through the back alleys of Heartland. They pop into a restaurant and snag some breakfast, they hop fences, they run faster than they probably should, and they arrive at school just as the bell is ringing.

“Told you it was fun,” Yuma laughs.

Rei leans over, panting. “I think my way would have been shorter,” he wheezes.

Yuma thumps him on the back. “Let’s get you checked in.”

It turns out, Rei is in Yuma’s homeroom. She’s delighted and takes him by the arm, showing him the way. “I’m actually a year older than everyone in class,” Yuma says, “But I missed a year of school while I was in a duel gang.”

“A duel gang?!” Rei gasps, “Why?”

“Because I was in a dark place,” Yuma says, “And since you were a trouper on my shortcut, you don’t have to use honorifics with me.” She and Rei get to the classroom, and Yuma shows Kitano-sensei her late pass. “We have a new student!” She says.

Rei skips to the front of the class. “Ta-da! My name is Shingetsu Rei and I’m a big fan of Yuma!”

“Oh, you make me blush,” Yuma says.

The morning passes and at lunch, Yuma invites Rei to sit on the roof with her and her friends. He greets them all enthusiastically, and Yuma pinches his cheek.

“You’re adorable!” She coos.

“Yuma, isn’t Ryoga enough for you?” Tetsuo asks.

Yuma rolls her eyes. “I can think someone is adorable without wanting to jump them, Tetsuo. Rei is just cute! Like a puppy.”

Rei pouts. “A puppy?”

“Yeah, like Tokunosuke,” Yuma says.

“What kind of puppy is Tokunosuke?” Cathy asks, flashing her nails.

Yuma hums. “A chihuahua. And Rei is a golden retriever.”

Tokunosuke chokes and Rei laughs, “Okay, I can accept that.”

There’s a commotion from the school yard and everyone leans over the edge of the roof to see what’s going on.

“Oh, he’s here!” Takashi cries, “Daisuke Katagiri!”

“That pro?” Yuma asks. “What’s he doing here?”

“You were asleep when we learned about it,” Kotori says, “He’s come to give a special lecture.”

Yuma whistles. “Dang, that’s nice of him. At least the girls are focused on him and not my boyfriend.”

“You going to duel him?” Tetsuo asks, nudging Yuma.

“Heck no,” she says. “Maybe I’d ask for his autograph, but someone else can duel today.”

Afternoon classes are cancelled so the students can gather in the gym and watch Katagiri duel. He takes on five students at once, including Tetsuo, and defeats them all in one turn. He answers questions about his dueling style, and gets swarmed by girls, but all too soon the exhibition is over.

“That was cool,” Yuma says. “Too bad he had to leave so soon.”

Kotori nods. “Yeah, you didn’t even get his autograph.”

Rei leaps to his feet. “I’m going to see if I can get it for you,” he tells Yuma, and then he takes off.

Yuma frowns. “Well, let’s go get our stuff and then see if Rei meets up with us.”

But as Yuma, Tetsuo, and Kotori prepare to leave for the evening, Rei is nowhere to be found. Yuma heaves a sigh. “Let’s go look for him. He probably got lost.”

They walk around the campus, calling for Rei, but he doesn’t answer. After a few minutes of searching, they do hear Rei’s voice—but in the form of a pained scream.

“That doesn’t sound good!” Tetsuo cries.

The three of them take off in the direction of the screams—the soccer field. They find Rei flat on his back across from Katagiri, and a holoscreen over his head shows his life points dropping zero, while one over Katagiri reads “win”.

“They dueled?” Yuma cries. She runs to Rei and helps him sit up. “Bro, you okay?”

Rei blinks up at her. “He was acting weird, I’m so sorry…” he says weakly. “I didn’t want him to hurt you.”

Yuma glares at Katagiri. “What’s your problem, dude?”

Katagiri laughs, and Yuma realizes that he’s got the same thing on his head that the gang member from yesterday had. “He wouldn’t tell me where you were, Tsukumo Yuma.”

“Christ, what a creep,” Yuma mutters. “Kotori, call the police.”

Katagiri laughs. “I hit your little friend with Barian world’s power, and now Yuma, I’ll do the same to you. I will do all in the name of Barian world!”

Yuma drops Rei and leaps to her feet. “Barian again?! Who in this school is working for them?!” She activates her duel disk. “Kotori, forget the police, this guy is mine!”

Astral appears next to Yuma. “Be careful,” he warns, “We still don’t know the full extent of the Chaos Xyz monsters.”

Yuma starts her turn by bringing out Numbers 34, but Katagiri starts his turn by bringing out an Xyz monster of his own, so Yuma knows he’s going to Chaos summon at some point.

But not before he tries some convoluted crap to get her to lose. He sends 1600 points of damage her way, but then ends up taking 800 himself. Apparently he’s a sore loser, so he then goes for the Chaos rank-up. The new Chaos monster destroys Numbers 34, and then Katagiri detaches all of its overlay units to make Yuma draw cards.

“If it’s a monster level 4 or lower, you take their attack as damage!”

Her first card deals her 1200 points of damage, but the next card is a magic. The third card gives her 1100 points of damage and leaves her with 100 life points.

Yuma is blown back, and Katagiri laughs like a maniac. Yuma gets to her feet and spits blood from her mouth—she bit her tongue, and this is the second time a servant of Barian world has made her face bleed.

“Prepare to feel Barian world’s power,” Katagiri says.

“We’ll see,” Yuma spits, almost frantic as she prepares to draw her final card.

“STOP!” Rei screams. He runs between Yuma and Katagiri. He’s almost in tears. “I don’t know what Barian world is, if you’re crazy or something, but please leave Yuma alone! I’ll give you whatever it is you want, she doesn’t deserve this!”

“So that means you should sacrifice yourself for me?!” Yuma asks, shoving Rei aside, “Like hell I’m letting you take any blows for me. I’m a big girl and I can take care of my own battles. Besides…” she grins, “I have faith in my deck.”

She draws her final card, and bursts out laughing. “Level three, zero attack!” She crows. “BOOYAH!”

She sends the card she just drew to the graveyard, and with that she attempts to send Katagiri’s monster back to his hand—and he uses the monster’s effect to prevent that from happening.

“You wasted your final chance!” Katagiri cries.

“That’s what you think!” Yuma shouts, “I play a trap! For each monster sent to the graveyard, you take 100 points of damage, and there are 18 monsters in both our graveyards! You lose 1800 life points, and your monster loses 1800 attack points!” And it’s not even her turn yet.

But when her turn does start, she’s geared up to fight. She brings out Hope, and then she levels it up to a Chaos Number—Hope Ray, which she powers up to have 4000 attack points.

Yuma strikes Katagiri, and she wins.

She takes off her d-gazer and brushes off her pants. “Well, that was refreshing,” she says dryly.

“YUMA!” Rei wails, running over. “Are you okay?! Here, get on my back, I’ll take you to the nurse!”

Yuma laughs and shoves Rei gently. “Oh hush, I’m fine.” Katagiri starts to stir, and Yuma panics. “But I don’t want to answer his questions. We’re gone, ya’ll!”

The four of them bail, and as they leave school grounds, Yuma gets a phone call from Ryoga.

“What’s up?” She asks.

“Rio’s been cleared to leave the hospital,” he reports, “But she’s got to rest at home for a few days.”

“Argh!” Yuma cries. “Oh well, I suppose her health is the most important thing.” She’ll just have to wait awhile before she can be classmates with Rio again.

As she hangs up, Rei turns to her. “Yuma, can we go back the way you showed me this morning? That restaurant we popped into looked cool.” He smiles. “And…I’ll treat you, since you ended up having to duel Katagiri anyway. I don’t know what was up with him, but I’m sorry I couldn’t keep him from getting to you.”

Yuma laughs. “Kid, I’m always down to eat, but you don’t have to be sorry for anything. Since you stuck your neck out for me, and you heard about Barian world anyway, I might as well fill you in.”

She won’t tell him  _everything,_  of course, but she’ll tell him enough.

By the end of the day, Rei has been initiated into the numbers club. He enthusiastically vows to do everything he can to help defend against the Barians, and protect the Numbers, and repay Yuma for protecting him against a Barian-possessed duelist.

His way of repaying Yuma is by nominating her for class representative. Not exactly what Yuma had in mind, but she accepts the nomination because she doubts anyone will vote for her, and she doesn’t want to hurt Rei’s feeling by declining.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuma’s jaw drops as she eeks out a victory over Takashi. Never in a million years did she think anyone would actualy want her to be representative for anything. Now that she’s won, she’s…actually excited? This is such an honor! People actually like her, people who aren’t part of the Numbers club!

“Congratulations!” Rei cheers, grabbing her by the arm and shaking her.

Yuma beams and turns to Takashi, who looks crestfallen. “Hey, bro,” Yuma says, feeling her smile fade. “It was really close. You should be proud of yourself.”

Takashi gives her a strained smile. “Yeah. I have to…go.” He slinks out of the classroom, and Yuma makes to follow him, but she’s surrounded by her classmates.

“Yuma! Do you think you can get the dress code changed?”

“Hey Yuma, how about my petition to allow us to eat lunch outside?”

“Yuma, we really need new chairs in the library…”

Yuma laughs and holds up her hands. “One at a time, guys! Here’s what I want you all to do, write on the board your requests, and we’ll go through them one by one to decide what I’ll bring up at my first student council meeting.”

Kitano-sensei helps manage the flood of students who rush to the whiteboard, and Yuma takes notes, crossing off things she knows she can’t do, but giving attention to each concern. It’s not until after Kitano-sensei says that they really do need to get back to work that Yuma realizes Takashi never came back to the classroom.

 

* * *

 

Yuma is predictably running late to school the next day, but in her defense she was up all night organizing her classmates’ requests for change. She charges through the front gate of the school, and almost has a heart attack as a whistle goes off behind her. She shrieks, skids to a halt, and whirls around.

Takashi points at her, whistle dropping from his lips. “No running! And no screaming, either!”

Yuma holds her hands over her ears. “YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME GO DEAF?!” She screeches.

“More screaming!” Takashi says, as if he didn’t hear her. He holds out a slip. “Detention!”

Yuma takes the slip, staring down at it. “What?!”

“I’m chief disciplinarian now,” Takashi says pompously. “I’ll be making sure you obey the rules.”

A few students nearby have stopped to stare. Yuma considers making a scene, accusing Takashi of unfair enforcement, but she pockets the slip. “Okay,” she says coolly. “I’ll see you in class.” She turns and walks off, trying to control her rage. This isn’t the end of this, that’s for sure. She’s going to get Takashi for that.

Yuma really should have paid more attention to the handbook rules, as she’s apparently breaking a lot of them on a daily basis. She’s waiting for Takashi to say something about her wearing the boy’s uniform, and she’s prepared to remind him that that’s the one rule she actually did look up and is positive she’s NOT breaking. While Takashi doesn’t charge her with a uniform offense, she still ends up with almost ten demerits by the end of the day, and she’s not the only one, either. Throughout the day her classmates approach her to tell her about the detention slips they’ve gotten from Takashi. Even Kotori comes to her during last period and holds up a slip, tearfully saying that Takashi gave her detention for her skirt length.

“I’ve never gotten detention before in my life,” Kotori says.

“Well, it is kinda short,” Yuma says, “But I hardly think it warrants detention. A first offense should be merely a warning.”

Kotori sniffles. “I’ve never been so humiliated.”

Yuma’s blood boils and she puts her arm over Kotori’s shoulders. “Don’t worry kiddo, I’ll settle this.”

Yuma escorts Kotori to the detention hall, where a lot of first time offenders hover outside the door, looking anxiously at the rough-and-tumble students inside the hall, the ones who practically live in detention. Yuma waltzes into the room and sets her bag down on a nearby desk.

“Afternoon,” she greets as the students in the room stare at her. She looks around and sighs, “Dear me, there simply won’t be enough chairs in here for everyone.” She smiles sweetly at one boy. “Daichi, will you and Tomo help me rearrange the room?”

The boys jump up and do as Yuma asks. The students standing outside begin to trickle in. Yuma sits herself on top of a desk and looks around. “Is it stuffy in here?” She asks.

Another boy leaps up and opens a window. “Let’s air this place out,” he says.

By the time the teacher arrives to monitor the detention hall, Yuma is holding court. She’s dueling one of her classmates on a mat, and the surrounding students are cheering and clapping. Unbeknownst to the students, the teacher turns red in the face and leaves the room.

 

* * *

 

 

Of course, things quickly go back to normal when Yuma gets rid of the Barian influence being held on the student council president. All things considered, it’s not a hard duel. Yuma really needs to find out where the Barian is hiding in her school, because people keep falling under the influence of Barian world while in the building.

After the duel, Yuma accompanies Takashi to the council room so he can formally renounce his position as head disciplinarian. As Takashi is handing over his uniform, the Principal comes bursting into the room, sees Yuma, and points to her.

“Alright!” The Principal shouts, “Who gave this young woman detention?!”

Takashi raises his hand, and the Principal scowls. “You’re officially relieved of your position as disciplinarian.”

Takashi opens his mouth, and Yuma pinches his back. Takashi yelps, and the Principal says, loudly, “I don’t want to hear it young man. And anyone else who puts Tsukumo Yuma in that detention hall will be answering to me. If she has any problems, bring them to the attention of a teacher, but for god’s sake don’t put her in detention!”

The Principal leaves, and the remaining students gape at Yuma. Yuma links her arm with Takashi’s and says, “Guess that’s that then. We’ll be seeing you.” And she hauls him out of the room.

“What was that all about?” Takashi asks.

Yuma beams at him. “Don’t you know by now that I used to be in a duel gang? Those kids in detention are terrified of me because I kicked their butts in the past. They’re more afraid of me than any teacher-given punishments. Anyway, I’m not sure what’s happening with the Barians right now, but I have a feeling I won’t be able to fulfil my duties as class rep, so I’m going to give that job back to you. We need to go over the students’ requests, they have a lot of things they want to change.”


	35. Ice Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryoga stares at his sister. “Rio is not that sweet. She’s an ice queen. You’ll see this afternoon at those clubs that she’s taking on.” He walks off and waves haphazardly. “Later, Elsa,” he says to Rio.

“IT’S TODAY!” Yuma screams as she runs out the front door, grabbing her bag from Lillybot.

“QUIT SHOUTIN’!” Akari screams after Yuma, “AND SHUT THE DOOR!”

Yuma lets the door slam shut behind her. For once, she’s leaving early—because today, Rio is coming to school. She’s giddy as she races to the Kamishiro apartment, and when she knocks on the door, Rio answers.

“Yuma!”

“Rio!”

They let out identical squeals of excitement and hug each other.

“Oye, must you be so loud so early?” Ryoga groans from the kitchen table.

Sayaka swats him on his shoulder. “Lighten up, you. And I want a picture before you leave!”

Ryoga bangs his head against the table, but Yuma and Rio are delighted. “First day of school pictures!”

Sayaka takes a picture of Rio in front of the apartment—her uniform is neat and pristine, her backpack is new, she’s wearing glasses with pink-tinted lenses, and she looks absolutely delighted. Then Sayaka has Ryoga and Rio stand together, and Ryoga actually manages a nice smile. Then Yuma joins the twins, and then Yuma and Rio get a picture together. Okay, maybe more than one.

“Okay, we’re going to be late,” Ryoga says as Sayaka snaps yet another picture of Rio and Yuma, this one with Rio draped dramatically in Yuma’s arms.

Rio gives Sayaka a hug, and then the three of them depart for school. Yuma and Rio walk hand-in-hand, smiling and chatting.

“You know,” Ryoga says, “People are going to think you two are dating.”

“Well, isn’t it true?” Rio asks Ryoga.

Yuma sticks her tongue out at him. “Don’t be jealous your sister has a hot girlfriend.”

Ryoga rolls his eyes. “Oh, silly me.”

Yuma swings her arm around Ryoga’s shoulders and yanks him close so she can kiss his cheek. “Don’t worry, I still love you.”

“Ugh,” Ryoga says, “Now they’re going to think you’re dating  _both_  of us.”

“You mean I’m not?!” Yuma gasps, fake shocked.

Above them, Astral smiles.

“Oh, I see them!” Yuma shouts as they near the school—Kotori and Tetsuo are waiting outside the gates. “Guys! Hi!”

Kotori is the first to turn around. “Rio-san!” She cries, running over to meet them.

Rio hugs Kotori. “Ah, no need for honorifics.” She leans back and grins at Kotori, “We’re classmates, after all.”

Tetsuo’s jaw drops. “Y-you’re a first year?!” He and Kotori have just noticed that Rio is wearing pink.

Rio smiles. “Well, I was unconscious for a year. Plus I wanted to be in Yuma’s year!”

Yuma and Rio squeal and hug each other again. “Isn’t this the best day ever?!” Yuma cries.

Rio is the center of attention as the group walks into school—Ryoga is pretty far ahead, and Rio calls out to him, “Are you too cool to walk with your little sister?”

Yuma laughs. “Nah, he’s giving the big-brother glare to all the boys who think they have a shot at you.”

Rio winks at Yuma. “They can try. Not like I care.” She and Yuma giggle.

Yuma leads Rio to her friends’ usual meeting spot, where she introduces Rio to Cathy, Takashi, Tokunosuke, and Rei.

“Rio, are you going to be in our homeroom?” Kotori asks.

Rio nods. “Oh, I insisted. Besides, it’s for the best—Yuma knows how to look after me if I get too tired.”

Yuma can tell her friends want to ask Rio what she means, but Rio does have to check in, so questions have to wait. Yuma escorts her to the office to get her schedule, and then they go to their homeroom. One student in Yuma’s seat row has been displaced so Rio can sit with Yuma, which is all well and good so Yuma can keep an eye on her friend, but it’s terrible for their concentration.

Of course, part of why they’re so happy is the sense that things are finally the way they’re supposed to be. After all, two years ago Yuma and Rio were planning to go to middle school together, and at this point in time, they should have both been second years. Their plan may have been thrown off, but at least now, they have a chance to do things the way they always wanted.

Rio is a model student. Her notes are perfect, she keeps up with the lessons, and she raises her hand for almost every question the teacher asks. She also holds Yuma’s hand under the desk and draws hearts on Yuma’s notebooks—distracting her when the teacher’s back is turned.

At lunch, Yuma leads Rio to the roof to join the rest of the group.

“What’s with the huge bag, by the way?” Yuma asks Rio, gesturing to the shopping bag.

“You’ll see,” Rio says.

They arrive on the roof and sit down, and Rio pulls a container of cookies from the shopping bag.

“Surprise,” she says. “Sayaka and I baked these yesterday.”

“Oh thank god,” Ryoga says. “Sayaka helped.”

Rio pouts. “Hey! I can bake.”

“No you can’t,” Ryoga says. “Ms. Set the Easy-bake oven on fire.”

Rio shrieks, “It was one time! Mr. Almost left for school in his pajamas!”

Yuma almost inhales the riceball she just shoved her mouth. “Which pajamas?” She chokes.

Rio is about to answer, but Ryoga covers her mouth. “One word and I leak your diary online,” he says, “And you can stop licking me, that doesn’t work.” Then he yelps and pulls his hand away. “Rabid,” he says, looking at the teeth marks in his palm.

Rio smirks.

“So, Rio,” Kotori says, “Are you feeling better?”

“Oh, much,” Rio says. “Even the doctors are impressed that I’m back to school after only a few weeks.” She touches the glasses on her face. “My vision is nearly what it used to be, I don’t need a prescription, these are just to keep lights from hurting me. Maybe in a few months, I won’t need them at all. Other than that, I mean I can run and play and duel just fine, but the doctors are being cautious and telling the school to make sure I have someone to look after me.” She grins at Yuma. “So that’s where my best friend comes in!”

Yuma beams and hugs Rio tightly. Rio clings to Yuma and sighs happily.

Ryoga pretends to gag. “Oh, you two are gonna give me cavities.”

Yuma shrugs. “Could be worse, we could all three of us be in the same year.”

Ryoga pales. “Oh god. The boys would really be unmanageable then.”

“What do you mean?” Cathy asks.

“You’ll see,” Ryoga predicts.

The conversation turns to normal, light chatter about classes and teachers. As lunch finishes and the group heads back to their classrooms, a crowd of students—all boys—wait for Rio in the hallway outside their classroom.

“Ms. Rio,” one says, “The soccer club was wondering if you would be our manager.”

“Ah, the baseball club was wondering the same thing!” Another says.

“Wait, Ms. Rio, would you join the Go club?”

“How about ping pong?”

Rio laughs. “Oh my, so many offers!” She smiles demurely. “I’ll be sure to check out all your clubs after school.”

Behind her, Ryoga shivers. “Oh boy, that creeps me out.”

Tetsuo glances at him. “Eh? How?”

Ryoga stares at his sister. “Because Rio is not that sweet. She’s an ice queen. You’ll see this afternoon at those clubs that she’s taking on.” He walks off and waves haphazardly. “Later, Elsa,” he says to Rio.

Rio frowns at him. “Mr. Personality,” she says, rolling her eyes.

 

* * *

 

One by one, Rio takes on the clubs that want her.

“Okay, boys,” she tells the soccer club, “If you can get the ball away from me, I’ll be your manager.”

Maybe they just don’t expect her to be good. She’s not even that fast, but she’s skilled, and she scores a goal easily.

Same with the baseball team, she hits a homerun and runs the bases. She defeats the best ping pong player, and she wins a game of Go with ease. And on the basketball court, she dribbles circles around all the players and makes a basket from center court.

“You go, Rio!” Yuma cheers as Rio shakes her hair out of her ponytail following her amazing throw.

The boys leave the court, casting dark looks at Rio.

“She’s Shark’s sister alright,” they mutter.

“Thinks she’s so perfect.”

“So not ladylike.”

Yuma scoffs. “What a load of pansies,” she says loudly. “Can’t handle a loss with dignity.”

Rio shrugs. “As if I care. They only wanted me because they thought I was easy.”

“Shows what they know,” Kotori says, grinning at Rio. “So, can you teach me how to hit a baseball? I’ve never been able to.”

“Because you flinch every time someone pitches,” Tetsuo says.

Rio laughs. “Oh, sure Kotori! I’d be happy to.”

Behind them, a girl calls, “Kamishiro Rio-san!”

Everyone looks around to see three girls in kimono approaching.

“Rio-san,” says one girl, “We’re from the ikebana club. Our club leader, Aika Hanazoe, heard a lot about you, she would like to meet you, would you please accept her offer?”

Rio beams. “How lovely! Can my friends come?”

The girl bows slightly. “Of course, anyone is welcome in our club.”

The group heads over to the club meeting room. It’s quite the lovely spot, with large windows giving a spectacular view overlooking the school grounds. Hanazoe-san sits in front of the windows, the picture of traditional perfection. She wears a gorgeous red kimono that Yuma would be terrified to go anywhere near, and her hair is long and jet black. Her voice is soft and warm, and she speaks like a princess, her words formal and cryptic. She prunes a bush as she talks to everyone about the club. Click, go her shears as she speaks. Click, click, click.

Kotori flinches. “Poor flowers, haven’t you pruned them enough?”

Hanazoe-san smiles. “Part of botany,” Click, “Is knowing which flowers to prune,” click, “And which to leave.” Click. “Strong flowers will breed,” Click, “Weak ones will be cut,” click.

Yuma’s eyelids feel really heavy, which is strange, but she’s been jazzed all day, so maybe it’s because she’s finally sitting down and Hanazoe-san’s voice is really, really soothing…

“Yuma!” Astral yells.

Yuma jumps slightly. “Wha?”

Astral points to Yuma’s friends, “They’re falling asleep! Hanazoe’s using the rhythmic clicks and the tone of her voice to lull you all into a stupor, she’s hypnotizing you!”

Yuma looks around—her friends are falling asleep! She grabs Rio before she can slump over entirely, and Rio holds a hand to her head.

“Astral?” Rio whispers, “Is that true?”

“Guys, wake up!” Yuma cries, but they all end up on the floor, out cold.

“So,” Hanazoe-san says, putting her clippers down. “You withstood it. I’m not surprised, Tsukumo Yuma.” A weird symbol appears on her forehead, and Yuma gasps and clutches Rio close.

“Oh, hell no!” Yuma cries, “Not this shit again!”

“What’s happening?” Rio asks.

“I was hoping for Shark’s sister,” Hanazoe says, “But I’ll settle for the original Number holder instead.”

“What did you call me?!” Rio spits, sitting up. She’s not looking so tired anymore. “My name is Kamishiro Rio, thank you very much, and if you want me then come get me, bitch!”

Hanazoe smirks. “You? A gust of wind could blow you over, child.”

Rio gets to her feet. “I am stronger than you give me credit for, and I am so over your peach-fever dream,” she says.

Yuma is proud, but worried. Rio talks big, but she isn’t back to her full strength yet. So she follows Hanazoe and Rio outside, and stands close as her best friend prepares to duel, ready to throw herself into the fray if she needs to.

For a while, it’s touch and go. Hanzoe’s deck is built to counteract water-type decks, like the ones that Rio and Ryoga use. This girl may be a puppet, but she’s done her homework.

“You’re weak,” Hanazoe says to Rio. Rio kneels on the ground, panting after an attack. “I thought you could at least wilt gracefully, but you fall to pieces like a diseased plant. In the end, you’re just the sister of that lowly punk Ryoga.”

Rio’s head snaps up. “What was that?” She snarls, her eyes hard behind her cheerful pink lenses.

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Oooooh, now she fucked up,” she whispers.

“How dare you,” Rio says as she gets to her feet. “I don’t care what you say about me, but to speak badly of my brother…my brother, who gave everything for me, who never stopped believing in me, who sat by me every day…” The air around Rio seems to freeze. “I will bury you.”

Yuma grins. “That’s my girl.”

And Rio wins. She powers through Hanazoe’s attacks and traps, and she pulls out a victory. Yuma runs to Rio as the AR field fades, and she hugs her.

“You did it!”

“Did you ever doubt me?” Rio asks, half-joking, but Yuma can hear the slightly worried tone in her voice.

Yuma leans back. “Oh, Rio…of course I know how strong you are, but this is Barian world we’re talking about and…well, I worry about everyone who goes up against them. Kite, Ryoga, and you…” She places her hand on Rio’s cheek and blinks back tears. “We just got you back. I couldn’t handle losing you again, especially not to them.”

Rio smiles sadly. “Oh, Yuma. You know, it’s easy for everyone to focus on how much I suffered, and I will heal at my own pace, but you’re healing, too.” She places her hand on Yuma’s and laces their fingers together. “You lost me for two years, at a time when you were really hurting. I know you’re scared for me. I would be too, if I were in your shoes. I don’t mind you worrying about me, but don’t neglect your own feelings just because you feel like I’m more at risk.”

Yuma sniffles and hugs Rio, and then behind them Ryoga calls out, “That’s my sister, always worrying about others.”

Yuma and Rio look around. “Hey!” Rio calls, “When did you get here?”

“I saw the duel,” Ryoga says. “I’ve been watching you all afternoon.”

Rio laughs. “If you weren’t my brother, I’d call you a creep.”

Ryoga shrugs. “Well like Yuma, I was worried. But I see I had no reason to be.” He walks over and hugs Rio, ruffling her hair. “Thanks for standing up for me, kiddo.”

Rio looks close to tears. “You know I meant every word, right? I know I tease you, but I’m really glad to have you, both of you.”

“We know,” Yuma and Ryoga say together.

“Group hug!” Yuma yells.

 

* * *

 

 

Unbeknownst to Yuma, Rio, and Ryoga, they’re being watched. Up in the Ikebana club room, Rei looks down on the field and observes the entire duel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Rio is officially part of the group!


	36. Girls Rule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alit makes his appearance, and the gang ends up clearing out a lot of misunderstandings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am majorly rewriting episodes 80 and 81 here, because none of canon fits the flow of this particular series.

Yuma looks back at the dumbstruck boy staring after them. “Who’s that?” She asks Kotori.

Kotori shrugs. “Dunno, but I knocked into him pretty hard.”

Yuma frowns at the boy. From his slack jaw and bugged eyes, he doesn’t seem to mind. He wears a first year uniform, has crazy hair and green eyes, and is overall a memorable person, so Yuma thinks she would remember him if she saw him before, but she doesn’t. He must be a transfer.

Over the next few days, the boy continuously pops up around Kotori, giving her pick-up tricks that Yuma can spot from a mile away. He tries giving her flowers, showing off, putting himself in danger, and giving her lame compliments. Kotori, the sweet thing that she is, doesn’t realize what’s happening and doesn’t do anything to dissuade the boy either. So Yuma takes it upon herself to interrupt the boy at every chance she gets. She plasters herself to Kotori, yanking her away at just the right moment, purposefully messing up the boy’s tricks, and Kotori still seems to think nothing of it.

But at the end of the week, Yuma finds an envelope on her desk.

“What’s this?” She asks, picking it up.

“A duel challenge,” Rei says, popping up behind her shoulder.

Yuma jumps and almost elbows him in the face. “Jesus,” she snaps, “I’m gonna put a bell on you.”

Rei takes the envelope from Yuma’s hands. “Hey, it’s from someone named Alit. He’s challenging you to a duel with Kotori as the prize.”

Yuma slams her hands down on the desk. “HE WHAT?!” She screeches. Oh, it is  _so on._

She meets Alit on the duel field—she finally has a name for the boy who has been following Kotori around. She marches up to him, and before he can say anything, she jabs Alit in the chest.

“Listen here you little shit,” she snarls, “I’ll duel you any time you want, but not for Kotori. She is her own person who can make her own decisions, and maybe I was too hasty in trying to keep you away from her, but Kotori is a goddamn treasure and she is better than all your cheap tricks. She deserves someone who knows her and loves her for who she is, and you haven’t done a damn thing to get to know her. You haven’t talked to her, you haven’t asked her a single thing about herself, you decided that you got one look at her and that was enough. Bullshit, there’s no such thing as true love at first sight! You have to know a person before you can love them!”

Alit looks absolutely flabbergasted. Yuma tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Besides, she would never go for you anyway.”

Alit scowls and challenges Yuma to a duel so she’ll take back what she just said. Yuma agrees, and totally kicks his butt.

At the end of the duel, Kotori comes running over, Rei on her heels.

“Sorry,” Rei says to Yuma, “She kept asking where you were.”

“What’s happening?” Kotori asks, “Yuma, did Alit really challenge you to a duel with me as the prize?!”

“Yes,” Yuma says, “I told him you would never go for him, perhaps I was too hasty, but he challenged me anyway with the new prize being that I would take that back.”

Kotori puts her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, my.” She turns to Alit and helps him stand up. “I’m so sorry,” she tells him. “I didn’t realize…oh, I’m rather silly, aren’t I? but I wish you had just been straightforward with me so that I could tell you, well, I’m…not…straight.”

Alit looks at her, confused. “Eh?”

Yuma rolls her eyes. “Oh for god’s sake.”

Kotori smiles. “Alit-kun, I like girls.”

Alit’s jaw drops. “Oh,” he says meekly.

“But we can be friends, if you like!” Kotori says.

Alit smiles. “Sure, thanks. I would like that.” He turns to Yuma. “And I’m sorry about…that. You’re a pretty good duelist, Yuma. I’ll remember you.”

That’s kind of a weird thing to say, but Yuma feels some of the tension she’s been feeling towards Alit fade away. “Yeah, well, just remember what I told you about getting to know people before you go falling head over heels for them.”

Alit nods. “I will!”

Yuma sighs and rubs her head. She’s so tired of these duels that give her anxiety and/or rage. She needs to get back to dueling for the sake of it.

 

* * *

 

Before school the following morning, Yuma challenges one of her classmates to a fun duel, in which she promises not to use her Numbers. It’s fun, and refreshing, but in the middle of the duel, Rei runs up to Yuma and yanks on her arm.

“Yuma-san! Something terrible happened!” He cries.

Yuma looks at her classmate. “I’m sorry!” She yells as Rei pulls her away.

Rei leads Yuma to their classroom and as soon as she enters, Yuma is hit in the face with a shoe. She screams and clutches her head, and there are several gasps.

“Oh, god!”

“Yuma, are you okay?”

“Who did that?” Yuma screams, blinking tears from her eyes. “Who the hell is throwing shit?!”

Everyone starts talking at once, which does nothing for Yuma’s new headache. She turns to Rei, since he dragged her here.

Rei looks at Yuma with tears in his eyes. “I thought it might be nice for the Numbers club to have a mascot,” he says, “I suggested Kotori, but she doesn’t duel, so then I wondered if Cat-chan would be a better mascot, and then Tetsuo suggested Rio and I think Tokunosuke said something about it, and then, well, I went to get you.”

Yuma rolls her eyes and whistles, long and loud, until everyone quiets down.

“Right then,” Yuma says, looking around. Kotori and Cathy are being held apart by Rio, Tetsuo has Tokunosuke by the hair, and Takashi looks like he just wants to go home. “Everyone sit down.”

They all obey, and Yuma stands with her arms folded. “I think—”

“Pardon me!” Someone cries, and everyone turns toward the door.

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Who are you?!” She demands.

The man in the door smiles. “My name is Gilag, and I—”

“Why are you wearing a school uniform?” Yuma interrupts.

Gilag looks down. “I go to school here,” he says.

Yuma frowns. “Uh-huh.”

“Anyway,” Gilag says, “I couldn’t help but overhear your argument, and I’ve found that sports usually helps resolve disputes among friends, so…”

“Thanks, but no one asked for your help,” Yuma says, rushing to the door and shoving Gilag out. “By the way I heard they were looking for you in the principal’s office, you might want to go.” She slams the door and locks it.

“What the heck?!” Rio asks, “Who is he?”

“And how did he get accepted into this school?” Takashi adds.

Yuma shudders. “Creeps, creeps everywhere.”

Everyone nods in agreement, and Yuma continues her speech. “Rei, darling, I know you didn’t mean any harm by suggesting we have a mascot, but we really don’t need one. Everyone in this group is important, and everyone is a dear friend. If we are to have a mascot, I think it would be Astral because, well, this all got started because of him, didn’t it?”

Her friends nod in agreement, and Yuma takes a seat. “Now then, what was with all the fighting? I understand friends argue but guys, really?” She looks at Cathy and Kotori. “I honestly can’t understand why you two are at each other’s throats all the time. I mean, I had a suspicion but…after all this time I hope I’m wrong. You two could be such good friends if you would stop trying to outdo each other.”

Cathy and Kotori glance at each other and look away just as quickly, blushing slightly.

Yuma turns her attention to the boys. “And what happened with you three?”

Tetsuo says, “I just suggested Rio be our mascot, I don’t know why Takashi and Tokunosuke got all huffy about it.”

“Because Rio is all you talk about now!” Tokunosuke cries.

“I am?” Rio asks.

Yuma closes her eyes. “Oh dear god,” she moans. “Tetsuo, do you have a crush on Rio?”

Tetsuo blushes. “I, erm, that is…”

“Oh!” Rio yelps, also blushing. “Oh dear, Tetsuo I’m sorry, I…I’m afraid I can’t return your feelings.”

Tetsuo looks crushed. “Oh,” he says faintly.

Rio’s cheeks are almost as pink as her glasses. “I’m…it’s not you, well I mean it kind of is, you see I am, well…”

“A raging lesbian?” Yuma offers.

“A raging lesbian,” Rio agrees.

Tetsuo’s blush darkens. “Oh,” he says. “So…do you…are you Yuma’s girlfriend?”

“NO!” Yuma and Rio scream.

“Dear god, no!” Yuma adds. “Two boyfriends is enough for me! I mean I like girls as much as the next person but…” she looks over at Cathy, Kotori, and Rio. “The girls in this room are my dear friends.”

“But you kissed Rio,” Cathy blurts.

“Oh, yes,” Yuma says, “And I might do it again, but to me, and to Rio, that’s not a sign of romantic love.”

Rio nods. “Yuma and I love each other, and we’ve said since we were kids that we’re like soulmates, but we would never date.”

“How come, if you don’t mind me asking?” Kotori says.

Yuma and Rio grin at each other. “We’re too much alike,” they say in unison.

Yuma laughs. “It would almost be narcissism.”

“And it would get boring,” Rio adds. “I don’t want to date someone who’s exactly like me, because I want to be with someone who will surprise me.”

“And do something besides want to watch Labyrinth every waking moment of the day,” Yuma says.

Rei sighs. “This is all my fault. I’m really sorry, guys.”

“Well, maybe it was for the best,” Yuma says, ruffling Rei’s hair. “After all, we cleared up a lot of misunderstandings today, didn’t we?”

There are nods from everyone in the room, and Yuma gets to her feet. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get my sister to call the school and ask why the hell an adult old enough to be our teacher is enrolled as a student.”

 

* * *

 

Cathy and Kotori head to their lockers to get their shoes and drop their bags. They keep glancing at each other before looking away, and finally Cathy says, “Yuma was right, there’s really no reason for us to be at each other like this. I’m sorry.”

Kotori bites her lip. “I’m sorry, too. Even when I knew Yuma liked Astral I was still really petty towards you.”

Cathy smiles. “Everybody loves Yuma.”

Kotori nods. “I know. Even when I knew I didn’t have a chance.”

“Oh, don’t go beating yourself up,” Cathy says. “Yuma adores you. I guess that’s why it’s so easy to love her, she really gives it her all when she takes someone on as a friend.”

Kotori nods. “Yeah, you’re right. I told Yuma a while ago that I had no idea how I would ever have a girlfriend, I was so shy about…well, everything. She told me that someday I would meet someone worth wanting to put myself out there for.”

“She’s right, you know,” Cathy says. “Anyone would be lucky to have you.” Then she quickly adds, “Maybe not me, but anyone else. Maybe Rio-san.”

Kotori inhales and chokes. “R-Rio?”

“Sure,” Cathy says, giving Kotori a smile. “Maybe not tomorrow, or even this year, but someday the two of you should go on a date. You would look cute together.”

Kotori flails her arms and stammers, and Cathy giggles and takes off running.

“Don’t tease me!” Kotori wails, chasing after Cathy.

 

* * *

 

Takashi gently elbows Tetsuo. “You okay, dude?”

Tetsuo shrugs. “Eh, I will be. I mean, right now I kinda just want to eat a tub of ice cream.”

“There’s plenty of girls out there,” Tokunosuke says. “As long as you don’t yammer on about her endlessly, we’ll be there to watch you trip over yourself to get her attention.”

Takashi hisses, “Can you have tact?”

Tokunosuke scowls. “Don’t act like you weren’t thinking it.”

“Did I really talk about Rio that much?” Tetsuo asks.

“Yes,” Tokunosuke says with exasperation. “I don’t understand it, really. You’re thirteen years old, what do you care about girls? All of us, we’re too young to date. I would say Yuma is too, but she doesn’t count, she’s had more life experience than most people twice her age, she can date. Us? We should be focusing on video games and avoiding thinking about high school for as long as possible. We’ve got the whole rest of our lives to grow up and fall in love, why can’t we just be kids?”

Takashi looks surprised. “Wow, that’s…quite eloquent, Tokunosuke.”

Tokunosuke smiles. “Why thank you. Now and then I do have my moments.”

“And you’re right,” Tetsuo admits. “Sorry I went kind of girl crazy. Or a lot girl crazy.”

“Eh, you’re forgiven,” Tokunosuke says. “Now, can we please go do something just the three of us?”

“Basketball?” Takashi suggests.

“I second that!” Tetsuo says.

 

* * *

 

Rei can’t help but laugh as he watches Gilag be escorted off school grounds.

“I’m sorry, sir,” one security officer says, “It’s just inappropriate for someone your age to be a student. There’s the complication of locker rooms and bathrooms—if you want to continue your education, you can do so through adult learning programs.”

Of course, Gilag never gave a damn about continuing his education, he just wanted to be close to Yuma. Rei turns his thoughts to today’s fiasco. Yuma handled it very well, she was able to identify the problems and get the people involved to talk to each other. Rei has heard a great deal about Yuma’s temper, and even though she got hit in the head with a shoe, she never got physical.

“Yuma won’t hurt her friends,” Rei observes, “Even if they hurt her.”


	37. Lightning Strike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma meets Mizael and is instantly horrified. Monsters are real, in this world.

Yuma runs as fast as she can, but she can’t seem to get anywhere. The landscape never changes, and the shadow behind her never gets further away. She trips and falls, and tries to crawl on her hands and knees, but it’s no use. A roar sounds behind her and she turns to see Astral being thrown to the ground. She gets a look at the thing that attacked him, making out the shape of something huge and terrifying before the ground under her opens up and she goes falling into a deep pit.

Yuma wakes with a start, her heart racing. She’s soaked in sweat and the blankets feel like they’re crushing her. She flings them off and rips her shirt over her head. The cold air hits her bare skin and she shivers. Yuma trips her way out of bed and out of her pants, careening into the bathroom mostly naked and heading straight for the shower. Her teeth are chattering, and it take a few minutes under the hot water for that to stop.

The dreams where she can’t escape a threat are the worst, and this is the third one she’s had this week. She touches the pendant around her neck—Astral is going through the Numbers they collected after the tournament and trying to piece together the fragments of his memories. She would ask him to come out and comfort her, but what he’s trying to do is important, and Yuma doesn’t want to bother him.

Yuma makes it out of the shower and into her school uniform. She puts herself together enough to get to school, and she pastes a smile on her face for her friends. The day is painful—she’s tired, and stressed because of the Barians, and she’s just really glad that spring break is coming up so she can sleep for days on end. Her friends don’t ask her what’s troubling her, so either she’s a better actor than she thought or they just know.

When Yuma gets home, a letter is waiting for her. It’s from her grandma’s friend, the old man she met in the mountains, and there are cards in it. The old Duel Master says he’s gone on a retreat, but he hopes Yuma can use the cards he’s enclosed to battle the incoming threat.

“Great,” Yuma says with a sigh, “Even he thinks I’m not prepared enough.”

At dinner, Yuma leaves food behind, shocking both her sister and grandma, but she’s too tired to eat. She collapses in her bed before the sun has fully set, and she’s asleep within seconds.

 

 

Bright light is not how Yuma was looking to wake up, but it’s how she does wake up. She burrows into her pillow with a groan.

“Up, up!” Kotori cries, grabbing Yuma’s blankets and flinging them aside.

“No,” Yuma growls.

Kotori laughs and pounces on Yuma. “We’re going hiking!”

Yuma lifts her head and glares at Kotori. “Why?”

“Because you’re in a funk and you need to snap out of it,” Kotori says. “Mountain air will do you some good.”

Kotori rolls Yuma out of bed and, reluctantly, Yuma gets herself dressed. On the way out the door she grabs her deck. She hopes she won’t need it, but who can be sure of anything in this day and age. Lillybot has prepared lunch and Kotori already bought train tickets, in an hour’s time the two of them are setting off on the mountain trails, Kotori in the lead.

“Look at that bird!” Kotori cries, pointing out a songbird in a nearby tree.

The bird lets out a chirp and flies towards them, landing on the ground at Kotori’s feet. Kotori reaches into the picnic bag and takes out a cracker, which she crumbles to dust for the bird to pick at.

Yuma smiles and snaps a picture. Maybe this was a good idea, after all.

As the day progresses, Yuma’s mood improves. The sunlight feels amazing, and the fresh air does make her feel better. She and Kotori leave the well-traveled trails and venture off into the trees, where they happen upon a small stream of fresh water. They kick off their shoes and wade into the water to cool off.

“Look,” Yuma cries, “A salamander!”

Kotori flees from the amphibian, and Yuma has a little fun by pretending to scoop it up and chases Kotori, only to splash her with a handful of water.

“Meanie!” Kotori accuses.

Yuma sticks her tongue out, and a splash fight ensues. When the two of them are soaked through, they leave the river and lie on the bank in the sun to dry off and eat lunch.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” Yuma says. “You were right, I did need this.”

Kotori grins at her. “You know I’m here for you, whatever you need. We all are.”

Yuma takes Kotori’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “I do know that. Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Ryoga tilts his head back and groans. Why, oh why did Rio decide that she needed to go bra shopping right now, when Yuma isn’t around? Yuma could have gone and made sure Rio would be okay, rather than Ryoga having to go and wait outside because he couldn’t go in a lingerie store on principal. When Rio finally comes out, he’s relieved.

“About time,” he says as Rio jogs over. “What took so long?”

“What’s with that tone?” Rio asks with a pout. Suddenly she gasps and drops her shopping bags.

“Rio?!” Ryoga cries.

Rio’s face is perfectly blank, but her voice is urgent as she says, “They’re coming…coming to take what’s most precious…the dragon of ill-omen!”

Ryoga puts his hands on Rio’s shoulder. “Oh man,” he mutters. “This has to be a Barian thing.”

 

* * *

 

Once the sun starts go down, they decide to make their way back to the trails. It’s a perfectly ordinary walk, until a red ball of light shoots through the trees and smacks into Kotori.

“WHAT IN FRESH HELL?!” Yuma screams as Kotori goes flying away from her.

“So it’s you,” says a voice from behind Yuma, and she spins around. A young man stands on a tree limb, staring down at her. For a second, Yuma wonders if he’s related to the Arclights—he has ridiculous hair and a smug expression on his face.

“Who the fuck are you and what have you done to my friend?!” Yuma screams.

The boy doesn’t answer, but throws something into the air that sends red light from it. The light surrounds Yuma, and she gasps.

“This is like at the Carnival finals!”

Sure enough, the light forms a red sphere that envelops the space around Yuma. Gravity goes funky and she floats upwards. The boy materializes within the sphere.

“Who are you?” Yuma snarls.

“My name is Mizael,” the boy says. “And I’m the last duelist you’ll ever face.”

“You think an awful lot of yourself,” Yuma says coldly. “You must be a Barian.”

“Are you afraid?” Mizael asks.

“You wish,” Yuma says. “I’m mad as hell! You’ve got some nerve…attacking Kotori, interrupting my day!”

“Do you accept my duel?” Mizael asks.

“What makes you think I even have my deck?” Yuma asks sarcastically. “Are you stalking me? I have enough boyfriends, I don’t need you adding to the men in my life. I accept your duel, because as it turns out I do have my deck.” She activates her duel disk. “The first turn is mine!” She draws a card, and Astral appears by her side.

“What’s happening?” He asks.

Mizael laughs. “So you finally showed yourself, Astral.”

“He can see me?” Astral murmurs.

“DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO ASTRAL!” Yuma screeches. She turns to her boyfriend, “He’s a Barian, so be careful. I’ll do my best to protect you.” And on her first turn, she manages to summon Hope. Then she plays one of the cards that the old man gave her, which protects Hope’s overlay units.

But Mizael laughs. “You are so utterly predictable,” he says. He starts his turn and summons his own monsters, which he uses to build the overlay network.

“I summon Numbers 107!” Mizael screams.

Yuma’s jaw drops. What did he say? 107?! But Astral said there were 100 Numbers! Yuma glances at Astral, but he looks just as gobsmacked.

“Show yourself and guide me to victory!” Mizael cries, “Galaxy Eyes Tachyon Dragon!”

Yuma claps her hands over her mouth. Did he say…Galaxy Eyes?!

The monster appears before Yuma, and she feels sick to her stomach. That figure, it can’t be the one from her dream…can it?

 

* * *

 

Kotori falls to her knees. Numbers 107? What on earth can this mean? If Astral’s memories only had 100 pieces, then where did the Numbers going beyond 100 come from? Was Astral mistaken? Or is this something beyond his control?

The roar of an engine pierces the stunned silence and Kotori whirls around in time to see Ryoga’s motorcycle careening up the path. It stops feet from Kotori, and she almost sobs in relief.

“Ryoga, Rio, thank god you’re here!”

Rio leaps off the bike and runs to Kotori. “Are you okay? What’s happening?”

Kotori points to the sphere field. “N-Numbers, 107, more than 100! Yuma’s in there!” she’s shaking and her teeth are chattering.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Rio says, putting her arm around Kotori. She looks at Ryoga. “I think she’s going into shock, and her clothes are damp.”

Ryoga shrugs off his jacket and hands it to Rio without taking his eyes off the sphere field. “This can’t be good,” he says.

 

* * *

 

Mizael smirks at his dragon as it roars above him. “Why are you so impatient? Do you want to attack that badly? Alright, go my beast, attack Hope!”

Yuma has seen Galaxy Eyes battle enough times to know that she needs to do everything she can to keep that attack from landing. So she detaches an overlay unit to end the attack, but Mizael smirks and gets around it with a monster effect.

Tachyon dragon attacks Yuma, and as it lands she’s blown back against the sphere field’s wall. The attack hurts, but the collision with the wall is agony.

Yuma hears screaming, and she knows she’s the one doing the screaming, but she can’t feel her own vocal chords. She can’t feel her mouth open, she can’t see beyond the flickering of red light, the only thing that exists is the pain that extends from the core of her body to the tips of her fingers. The last sphere field she fought in didn’t hurt half this bad.

When the pain ends, Yuma thinks she’s blacked out, and she’s relieved—maybe this will turn out to be a dream. Then she hears Mizael’s voice.

“So weak,” he says. “These humans are so very fragile.”

Yuma wants to tell Mizael to get a fork and stick it in the sphere field, but she can’t make her mouth move.

“I’ll give you the opportunity to surrender,” Mizael says.

That gets Yuma to fight through the pain. “Fuck yourself in the eye socket with a screwdriver,” she snarls as she opens her eyes.

 

* * *

 

Ryoga grits his teeth and digs his nails into his palms so deep that he can feel blood. “I can’t take much more of this,” he snarls, “YOU BARIAN FREAK! DUEL ME, LEAVE YUMA OUT OF THIS!”

“Hold that thought!”

Ryoga turns around in time to see Kite, in full Sailor-Moon mode, fall to the ground like some misplaced action hero. “I’ll continue the duel!” he announces.

“Fuck off,” Ryoga shouts, “I’m going to help my girlfriend!”

“No,” Rio says, her voice reaching that same pitch it did before. Ryoga turns to her.

Rio’s face is blank and her eyes seem to stare at something that only she can see. “They’re calling to each other, Galaxy Eyes to Galaxy Eyes…the two dragons speak to each other.”

Kite stares into the sphere field. “Ryoga, take care of Kotori and your sister,” he says. “This jerk and I have a bone to pick.”

 

* * *

 

Yuma can’t tell what Mizael is staring at. She tries to right herself and pain shoots through her body. Fuck, fuck, fuck did she mess up her back? “I don’t care,” she mutters to herself, “I’m not giving in, I won’t let him have Astral.”

Astral floats beside Yuma and touches her arm gently. “Don’t be like this. You can’t go on.”

A shiver seems to go through the sphere field and Yuma jumps, pain going through her body again. Suddenly, Kite appears next to her.

“The fuck?” She mutters, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for him,” Kite says, nodding towards Mizael. “You two sit out this fight.”

“No!” Yuma cries, feeling some fight come back to her, “You have Hart! Kite this field, it’s terrible, your brother needs you!” She can feel tears coming, she’s in so much pain but she flails and grabs hold of Kite. “Get out of here,” she begs, “I can do this!” She feels utterly pathetic. She’s crying, pleading in front of this Barian. She was caught so off guard by all this, now she’s a wreck.

Kite gingerly maneuvers Yuma upright. “Take it easy,” he says quietly. “It’s not just me who’s itching for this fight. My Galaxy Eyes wants to battle this guy, and I know better than to argue with a dragon.” He tucks a strand of Yuma’s hair back and wipes the tears from her cheeks. “You can do this, but so can I, and it’s my turn now.”

Yuma slumps over and Astral catches her.

“Finally finished with that loser?” Mizael asks.

“Shut your filthy mouth when you talk about Yuma,” Kite spits.

Yuma would laugh if she wasn’t seeing stars every time she closed her eyes.

“I set a card and end my turn,” Mizael says.

Yuma struggles to focus on the duel. She clings to Astral, his physical presence is about the only thing keeping her grounded, and she’s not sure what she’s seeing is real. As Kite’s Galaxy-Eyes appears, she wonders…is she really seeing beams of light from the dragons as they roar at each other?

“Amazing,” Astral murmurs. “Those dragons have torn apart the ground outside the sphere.”

“Kotori!” Yuma gasps.

“Is safe with Ryoga and Rio,” Astral says.

Yuma didn’t even know Ryoga and Rio were there.

“There can only be one Galaxy Eyes master,” Kite snarls, “And that’s me!”

“That’s where you’re wrong!” Mizael says.

Yuma rolls her eyes. “Oh great. This is a pissing match.”

“Huh?” Astral asks.

“Never mind,” Yuma sighs. “I hate boys.”

The duel moves too fast for Yuma to follow. She screams when Mizael destroys Photon Dragon, but Kite brings the monster back from the graveyard. Then he summons Neo Galaxy Eyes, and Yuma can feel the energy in the air as the monster emerges. Lights and explosions ensue, and Yuma has a full-on migraine now. Her head feels like it’s splitting open, she curls into a ball, clutching it, and she knows Kite has destroyed Tachyon dragon, but she also knows it’s not the end.

Mizael summons his dragon back, and then says that he’s going to fight with all he’s got. Yuma manages to open her eyes as Mizael is swallowed by light, and then his body transforms.

It’s like when Faker was possessed by the Barian, but worse, because Mizael isn’t a huge, messed-up version of a human being. Mizael retains a humanoid figure, with arms, legs, feet, and hands, but he’s not human at all. He’s beautiful, like a marble sculpture, and he may in fact be made of stone—his whole body is golden, and gems emerge from it. He has eyes, but no face to speak of. No nose, no mouth, but he seems to have a broken, white mask covering part of his head. His eyes are framed in red, and black lines skitter down the side of the mask. Are they cracks? Are they veins? Yuma doesn’t know. He’s beautiful, but monstrous. He’s horrifying.

Yuma screams. She’s not the only one screaming though, she can’t be, because she’s never let out a sound this loud, this shrill, this terrified before. It must be someone else, it can’t  _just_  be her fear echoing around the sphere.

“Yuma, stop!” Astral cries.

The screaming cuts off as Yuma takes a ragged breath. Then the world goes dark.

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes and she sees helicopter blades. Her head throbs with pain, like a heartbeat coming from within her skull. Kotori is standing over her.

“Akari’s on her way,” Kotori says.

Yuma feels like she’s about to puke. “The Key…” she mutters.

Kotori takes Yuma’s hand and presses it over the Key. “Astral is in it.”

Yuma blinks and ends up just…closing her eyes.

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes and closes them immediately against the light.

“Ow, ow, fuck,” she mutters.

“Language,” Akari says crossly.

“Yuma-san’s awake!” Takashi shouts tearfully.

“Fuuuuck,” Yuma whines, trying to cover her ears. “Sound, ouch!”

“Even a concussion can’t keep her from cursing,” Akari says.

Concussion? But Yuma didn’t hit her head, she was electrocuted. Holy shit, she was electrocuted! The sphere field, the duel, the creature!

She opens her eyes wide and gasps, grabbing for anything she can get her hands on—she knows she grabs Akari’s arm, and she sinks her nails into it. “He was a monster,” she gasps, “Akari, there was no, no mouth, just eyes and rock and how did he breath? How does he eat? How can it survive like that Akari I’m scared it’s not fucking real how can any of it have been real?!”

Akari turns her head. “Nurse, please!” She looks back at Yuma. “It was a dream, honey. You went hiking and there was some kind of earthquake or rock slide or something, you and Ryoga fell but you’re going to be okay, you’re in the hospital now.”

Yuma pulls herself upright. “It wasn’t a dream!” She screams. Pain shoots through her head and she squints. Her friends are standing against the wall, looking tearful and horrified. Yuma locks her eyes on Kotori. “You saw!” Yuma yells at her, “I’m not crazy!”

Kotori presses a finger to her lips and shakes her head. It takes a second for Yuma to remember that the adults in the world don’t know she’s fighting a goddamn alien race to protect another alien race. But that’s the case, isn’t it? Yuma’s all alone in this knowledge. She slumps back against her pillow and cries. Mizael, holder of Numbers 107 and an alien hell-bent on destroying Yuma, Astral, Astral world, and now Kite as well. Fan-fucking-tastic. Oh, and he’s a monster.

Yuma leans over the side of the bed and pukes. This day can’t get any better.

 

* * *

 

The doctors move Yuma out of ICU and into a room—Ryoga’s room. Yuma lies quiet on her bed when her friends come to say hello and give her cards from their classmates. Akari tells Yuma to speak, say thank you, and Yuma turns her back on her sister and closes her eyes.

Rio chases everyone out, saying that Ryoga is resting—resting, not sleeping. When everyone leaves, Rio takes Yuma’s hand and kisses it.

“Sleep,” she says. “Call me when you want to talk.”

Yuma does sleep, but she has nightmares. Every few hours she wakes up in a cold sweat or screaming, or sometimes both. Ryoga comforts her at first, but soon he gets mad at her.

“Fear is unbecoming on you,” he snaps at Yuma when she flicks the light on, flooding the room with soft golden light. When did the sun go down? She blinks at the clock—it’s 3 AM, the witching hour. Yuma claps a hand to her mouth as nausea overwhelms her.

“Don’t you dare,” Ryoga threatens. “God, what’s the matter with you? One duel with a Barian and you go to pieces? I thought you were going to kick their asses if they stepped foot on this planet. I thought you were going to single handedly defend Hart and Astral. What happened to you?”

Yuma launches herself from the bed and wraps her hands around Ryoga’s throat. “Shut up,” she hisses. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” She’s shaking, not even hurting him.

“What happened to you?” Ryoga asks again, this time sounding less judgmental and more genuinely concerned.

Yuma shivers. “I was wrong,” she says. She falls to her knees as her legs give out.

Ryoga kneels beside her and gathers her into his arms. “Wrong about what?” He asks.

Yuma doesn’t answer, can’t answer. She just cries until she passes out again.

 

* * *

 

Kite comes to visit. Yuma is in the process of picking at her food, and when he enters the room Kite takes one look at her and scoffs. “You look terrible,” he says.

Yuma grabs her entire tray of food and throws it at him. She misses, but she thinks she gets the point across.

“Yuma, what the hell?!” Ryoga sputters.

Yuma gets out of bed and pushes Kite, hard. “You, you think you’re so…you can stand there and say shit to me like…like you didn’t see…what the hell is wrong with you?!”

Kite clearly doesn’t understand. Ryoga doesn’t either. Yuma stalks to Ryoga’s bed and grabs his phone. As she dials Rio’s number she clutches the Key, where Astral still lies dormant. She wishes he was with her.

“What’s up, bro?” Rio asks.

“It’s me,” Yuma says. “Can you come here? I’m ready to talk.”

Rio promises to come, and Yuma hangs up. She goes back to her bed and sits, her knees pulled up to her chest.

“Should I leave?” Kite asks, still in that same even tone.

“No,” Yuma snaps. “Stay there and don’t fucking speak to me. Or look at me. I hate you.”

Kite has the audacity to roll his eyes. If Ryoga didn’t launch himself at her and physically restrain her, Yuma thinks she might strangle Kite.

That’s how Rio finds them when she arrives—Kite with his back to the opposite wall while Ryoga holds Yuma by the shoulders as she fumes. Rio isn’t alone, she’s brought Kotori with her.

Rio sits on Yuma’s bed and takes her hands. “Yuma, what’s wrong?” she asks.

And if anyone could look a monster in the eyes and survive, it’s Rio. Yuma wilts, all anger leaving her. She takes a deep breath. “Rio, I see that…that thing every time I close my eyes. M-Mizael…” she can barely force his name from her mouth, “That thing he turned into, it was a Barian. It was horrifying.” Her voice breaks. “Didn’t you see it?”

“Vaguely,” Rio says, “It wasn’t easy to see through the sphere field.”

Yuma presses her hands over her face. “It…he…he was…” She chokes. She takes a deep, shaky breath. “All this time I never thought about what Barians might look like…”

“Is that what this is about?!” Kite cries, incredulous. “Yuma, you’re dating an alien!”

“NO!” Yuma shrieks. “Astral is…he looks human enough! He has…Mizael didn’t…he didn’t have a face!” She can feel herself beginning to hyperventilate. “No mouth, no nose…how did he breathe?! How did he talk? It doesn’t make sense, he had, his body, he looked like stone!” Tears spill down her cheeks. “And Rio, he wants to take Astral from me! He wants to hurt me and I don’t know how…how to stop him!” She digs her nails into her face. “Humans have blood, and bone, and weak skin, humans break, Astral is invisible most of the time, he’s never wanted to hurt me, I’ve never had to protect myself from him. Even with Tron, Tron was human! IV was human! Even if their power was in their cards I could still protect myself if I had to, I could hurt them, make them let go of me if they touched me. Mizael, the Barians, what do they have?! I don’t know!” She laughs, hysterical. “Would he bleed if I scratched him?! Would it hurt him if I punched him?! What if he touches me and I can’t get away from him?! He said that humans are weak, he knows he’s stronger than me…” she doubles over, head in her hands.

Rio tugs Yuma up and hugs her. Yuma can feel Rio’s body shaking.

“Monsters are real,” Yuma says through chattering teeth. “And he wasn’t…he wasn’t a hideous thing with warts or fangs. He wasn’t like a…a drawing on a card, or a Jim Henson puppet, or a CGI thing that came out of a cocoon. He was real, and I couldn’t have imagined him, because he was as beautiful as he was horrifying. I don’t know how to explain it! He shouldn’t have existed, it’s impossible, there’s no way, but I can’t have imagined him, I would never have been able to imagine something being afraid and, I mean making me afraid and yet I thought he was…beautiful, somehow…”

“Awe,” Rio says. “The feeling one gets when overwhelmed by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful.”

Yuma nods. “Yes,” she says quietly. “It’s disgusting.” She sobs. “I hate it. I never want to feel it again, I never want to see one again!”

Rio pats Yuma’s back. “Oh honey. I know, I know. I mean, I know Thomas isn’t an alien, but as terrifying as he was, he was…aesthetically pleasing.”

Yuma wipes her cheeks. “I can’t handle this.”

“Probably not,” Rio agrees. “But you know who can handle it? Astral.”

Yuma’s heart constricts. “That’s not fair,” she says.

“But it’s true,” Rio replies. “Astral can handle it. And right now, Astral needs you. Now I’m right here with you, so are Ryoga and Kite. We’ll do our best to be with you, physically and spiritually until the Barians are no longer a threat, but unfortunately it looks like, for now, if you want to keep Astral safe, you’re going to have to face the Barians again.”

“And those sphere fields,” Yuma mutters, wrapping her arms around her chest.

“I might be able to help with that,” Kite says.

Yuma frowns at him. “I’m still mad at you,” she says crossly. “You got into a damn dragon fight while I was having a panic attack.”

“My dragon fight saved you from having to duel Mizael,” Kite says. “Anyway, Orbital was able to analyze the sphere field, I may be able to create something to help minimize the physical effects it can have on the human body.”

“Can you make me a weapon, too?” Yuma asks.

“Like you need one,” Ryoga says. He smirks. “The Barians must not be that smart, if their main line of attack is cards.”

For the first time in days, Yuma giggles because something’s funny, not because she’s seconds away from an attack of hysterics.

Ryoga sits next to Yuma and puts his arm around her. “That’s better,” he says, kissing Yuma’s cheek. “I missed your smile. Don’t let the Barians take that away from you.”

Kotori climbs onto the bed and hugs Yuma, too. “I still have the taser,” she says. “Maybe it wouldn’t disable a Barian completely, but I bet it would still hurt.”

Kite kneels in front of Yuma. “I’ll see if I can make you something to defend yourself with,” he says.

And Yuma feels safe, in that moment, for the first time since she saw Mizael. She’s not alone in this, she’s got friends backing her up. And to make the moment more perfect, Astral materializes.

“You’re back!” Yuma cries as Astral floats in front of her, looking confused but unharmed. “Are you okay?”

Astral looks down at his own body. “It would appear so.” He looks at Yuma. “But we’re in a hospital, no you’re in a hospital…are you okay?”

Yuma looks at her friends and smiles. “You know, ten minutes ago I would have said no. But now…I think I will be.”

Astral hovers closer to Yuma. “We have a lot to talk about,” he says.

Yuma nods. “Yes. After we go home and eat. And I need to shower, I’ve been very unhygienic.”

“Yeah I can tell,” Kite mumbles.

Yuma shrieks, grabs her pillow, and flings it right into Kite’s face. She hits him, but for some reason he laughs at her anyway. Oh well, she’ll get him for that later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As horrid as this part was, I'm happy with it. I think the show glossed over Mizael's appearance too much. I think it would have been horrifying for a young child like Yuma, who's already been through so much.


	38. Knockout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma wants to cry. She wants to scream. She wants to launch herself at Alit and rake her nails down his face. She wants to run as far and as fast as she can, with Astral, some place no one will hurt him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots going on in this part, we cover episodes 85-89.

On the day that Yuma is meant to return to school, Rei comes over for breakfast. He barely eats, but Yuma devours enough for both of them.

“I’m glad you feel better, but please don’t make yourself sick,” Akari says crossly.

“I’m permanently sick,” Yuma says through a mouth full of food. She puts her bowl in the sink and grabs her backpack. “Let’s go,” she says to Rei.

The two of them head out, bidding goodbye to grandma on their way. They walk down the street with their shoulders bumping together every few steps.

“Excited to be going back?” Rei asks Yuma.

Yuma nods. “Excited for things to hopefully return to normal.”

She jinxed herself when she said that, as shortly thereafter she and Rei are confronted by an army of students, from their own school, who hold out their duel disks and have weird symbols on their foreheads.

“Shit!” Yuma screams, halting in her tracks, “Barian world is messing with our school again!” She grabs Rei’s wrist and yanks him back the way they came. “Come on, let’s skedaddle!”

But they’re blocked at every turn by more brainwashed people wanting a duel. Yuma realizes that they’re being pushed to the shipping docks, and she can’t do much to protect herself, Rei or Astral. She grabs her hone and dials the one person she knows will be able to help her, and will pick up her phone.

“Rio!” Yuma screams as she answers the phone, “I’m in trouble, the shipping yard, hurry!”

She hangs up so she can save her breath for running. She keeps a tight hold on Rei’s hand—she can’t let the Barians get him or Astral.

When Yuma and Rei arrive at the docks, they’re not alone. The mass of students are waiting, and as they’re backed into a corner, Yuma hears a welcome shout.

“Get away from my girlfriend!” Ryoga screams, dropping down from a shipping container.

Rio and Kotori are right behind him, riding in on a bike Yuma has never seen before, with Rio peddling and steering, and Kotori standing precariously on the back of the bike, brandishing a frying pan in one hand and her taser in the other.

“Where’d the bike and frying pan come from?” Yuma asks them as she activates her duel disk.

“Borrowed it,” Rio says with a wink.

“Same,” Kotori says.

“Thieves,” Yuma playfully accuses.

Yuma fends off attacks from the surrounding duelists as best she can. Rio and Ryoga are a force to be reckoned with, but when Yuma turns to check on Rei, she finds him standing behind her, and he grabs her.

“All for the sake of Barian world,” he mutters.

“Well done, my servants,” says a deep voice. A man appears in front of Yuma, the man who approached her at school the one who was kicked out.

Yuma shrieks, “Creep alert, creep alert!”

“My name is not creep,” the man snaps, “It’s Gilag! And I’m going to crush you and Astral!”

Yuma struggles to free herself from Rei’s grasp. The duelists surrounding Yuma summon their monsters. If they all attack, there’s no way she and Astral will survive.

Before Yuma can gather her wits and scream for help, help arrives. Alit leaps in front of Yuma, and saves her from damage by playing a magic card.

“Alit?!” Yuma cries.

“Alit?!” Gilag shouts.

Alit activates another magic card, destroying all the opponent’s monsters, taking out their life points, and freeing the duelists from the Barian influence. Rei falls to the ground, as do all the others.

Gilag growls, “Have you forgotten that we need the Numbers to save Barian world?!”

“I know what we need!” Alit snaps. “And I’m going to take Yuma and Astral on head on, in a fair fight!”

Yuma shrieks. “BARIANS!” She cries, pointing at the pair. “ALIENS, THEY WALK AMONG US!”

“I know Yuma is a great duelist!” Alit says, pointing at Gilag, “That’s why I’m going to take her on in a fair fight. Because before I’m a Barian, I’m a warrior, and I will not taint my honor by taking part in an unfair fight. Now get out of here, and don’t come back until you learn what a fair fight is!”

Gilag winces, then vanishes in a shower of glitter.

Yuma skitters backwards, away from Alit, her heart racing. What will he turn into? What can he do? Alit turns to her, and she yelps, “Ryoga!”

Ryoga kneels by Yuma’s side. “You stay away from her,” he warns.

Alit stares Yuma down. “Yuma, will you duel me?”

“Fuck off!” Yuma screams, “You want the Numbers, and if you take them you’ll take Astral!” She starts to tear up and gasps, “Don’t you care? Astral is a living being…”

“So am I,” Alit says, “And without the Numbers I won’t be living anymore.”

“WHY?!” Yuma demands.

“Because you can’t trust anyone from Astral world!” Alit yells.

Yuma wants to cry. She wants to scream. She wants to launch herself at Alit and rake her nails down his face. She wants to run as far and as fast as she can, with Astral, some place no one will hurt him.

“Duel me,” Alit says again.

Yuma bites her lip and tears spill over her cheeks.

Suddenly, Kite lands between Alit and Yuma. “Do it, Yuma,” he says. He tosses her something, and she catches it. It’s a ring, with a button on top. “That’s a special ring,” Kite tells her. “Like my Photon Change, it’ll give you special powers. In this case, protection from the effects of a Barian sphere field. Not total protection, but you won’t be taken out the way you were last time.”

“But your Photon Change hurt you,” Yuma says.

Kite nods. “That’s the hitch. You have twenty minutes before the protection wears off. Press the button once you’re in the field.”

Yuma sniffles, and nods. “Okay,” she says shakily. “Okay I can…I can do this.” She gets to her feet. “Okay Alit, I’ll duel you.”

Alit activates the sphere cube, and Yuma puts the ring on and presses the button on it. Her body is coated in a white light, and when it fades, her skin tingles.

She’s scared out of her mind, but she tries to keep it cool. She tries to think of Alit as just another opponent, she’s even able to admire his skills at dueling. She wants to connect to Alit, on a human level, maybe stop him from doing whatever it is he’s trying to do.

Yuma is the first to take damage in the battle, but just as Kite promised, the pain isn’t nearly as bad as last time. Yuma is able to keep her head, and turn the tide. She increases Hope’s attack to 5000, destroys Alit’s monster, and sends him careening into the sphere field as he takes damage.

Alit laughs. “Yuma, you are truly a powerful duelist.”

Yuma laughs. “Thanks! You are too. Alit, I know you have skills and I know you’re talented.” So why, why is he doing this? What has made him so hell-bent on destroying an entire planet and anyone who gets in his way?

Alit shows his strength by summoning Numbers 105.

“Another over-100 Numbers,” Yuma mutters.

Alit attacks her, though his Number is weaker, and with the effects of his monster, he takes a chunk out of Yuma’s life points. She’s down to 500, and Astral is flickering in front of her eyes.

“This is bad,” Astral says.

“I know,” Yuma tells him. “I know, and I’m furious and scared but…” she looks across at Alit. She can’t hate him, not the way she hated Tron and Faker. “Alit,” she calls, “I’m going to show you something special. My true power, my full power, the power of love that I share with Astral, and I want you to tell me if it’s worth destroying.”

She looks to Astral. “Are you ready?” She asks him.

Astral grins. “I am always ready.”

Yuma focuses on the love she has for Astral, the passion she has for him. Red light envelops her, and blue light envelops Astral. They fly across the sphere field and collide together. Yuma feels like every cell in her body is electrified, but it doesn’t hurt. She’s warm and cold, she’s present but not. Her body is stretched across a vast boundary of space, and yet she feels unbearably small. When Yuma opens her eyes, she sees Alit’s shock.

“This is Zexal,” she informs Alit. She grins and laughs. “And now I have boy parts.”

Alit gasps. “Oh my god, Yuma, you look so cool!”

Maybe he missed the part about boy parts. Oh well, Yuma performs a Chaos-XYZ change and summons Hope Ray, further hyping Alit up. Yuma attacks Numbers 105, and since the monsters are evenly matched they’re both destroyed, but Yuma is able to activate a magic card and bring Hope Ray back to the field.

Alit laughs. “If you’ve gone this far, I suppose I should show you my true power as well.”

Yuma knows what that means. “CAN I PASS?!” She shrieks, but Alit doesn’t hear her or doesn’t care. Either way, he doesn’t turn into an alien like Yuma had thought he would, instead he revives Numbers 105 through the same card Yuma had.

“Oh, thank god,” Yuma sighs in relief. “That’s all it was.” She sets a card and ends her turn.

But no, Alit is so fired up, he just has to show her his true form. Yuma wishes she could look away, but she can’t. Alit’s body seems to be enveloped by lightning, he screams as his flesh rips apart, his nails elongate and sharpen, and his face is blocked by a solid ball of light. When the light fades, an alien stands before Yuma.

Yuma swallows bile. She can’t help but wonder if her transformation looks as painful as Alit’s did. She hoped his didn’t feel as painful as it looked.

“So this is what you are,” Yuma murmurs.

“Not what,” Alit corrects. “Who. I am as much a living being as Astral is.”

“But you want to kill him,” Yuma says.

“I want the Numbers,” Alit tells her. “If I have to kill Astral to get them, I’m sorry. But my world means everything to me. That’s why I won’t hold back.”

“Neither will I!” Yuma cries, “I’m not just defending Astral, I’m defending my world, too, which means I’ve got more reason to win than you do!”

“We’ll see about that,” Alit says, and he starts his turn. He performs a Chaos-XYZ summon as well, and attacks. Yuma keeps Hope Ray from being destroyed, but she takes damage and is down to 200 life points. Thank god, the ring still protects her while she’s in Zexal form with Astral.

“You’re an amazing duelist indeed!” Alit laughs. “Ah Yuma, show me more of your power. Come on now, hit me with your best shot.”

“Are you insane?!” Yuma cries. “What happens if you lose?! If I lose, Astral…Astral will be gone! What happens to you?!”

“I’m not thinking of it,” Alit says. “Yuma, give me a fight I can be proud of!”

In the back of her head, Astral whispers, “Respect his wishes. Do as he asks.”

So Yuma, tears in her eyes, manages to smile. “Sure, Alit,” she says.

So she attacks. She and Alit play hot potato with the damage, but eventually her attack lands. Alit’s life points drop to zero. The sphere field fades, and Yuma and Astral split apart. As the ground comes back under Yuma’s feet, she runs to Alit.

He’s human once more, and after a second’s hesitation, she scoops him into her arms. “You okay?” She asks.

Alit grins. “That was fun.”

Yuma laughs. “Then let’s do it again! Just without the fear of death. Be my friend, Alit!”

But he shakes his head, and looks at Astral. Astral holds out his hand to absorb the number, but he can’t.

A portal opens behind Alit. “Bye, Yuma,” he says, and he vanishes.

Yuma is left kneeling in the street, tears in her eyes. Ryoga kneels beside her and puts his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” He asks.

Yuma stands up and rubs her eyes. “I can’t believe Kite gave me a ring before you did,” she says, laughing even as she wipes tears from her eyes..

Rio dashes over. “If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it!” She screams.

Yuma, Rio, and Kotori collapse in giggles. Yuma has to keep smiling right now, or she’ll fall to pieces like she did in the hospital. Ryoga and Kite get the girls to their feet and tell them to cool it, they need to get lost before the cops arrive. Only when they’re walking away does Yuma realize Rei is missing and ask what happened to him.

“When he snapped out of it, we told him to go to the hospital,” Kotori says. “His arm was bleeding.”

“I hope he’s okay,” Yuma says worriedly.

 

* * *

 

Rei does turn out to be okay, but Astral isn’t. The ring may have protected Yuma, but it didn’t help Astral. While at first he seemed okay, as the day went on he became progressively weaker. Finally he retreats to the key and doesn’t come out. Yuma knows he needs time to heal, but she’s worried.

She’s not the only one who’s worried—Rei is beside himself the following day. “I can’t believe I hurt you, Yuma-san,” he says tearfully. “I’m really sorry.”

Yuma puts her arms around his shoulders. “Don’t sweat it,” she says, “I’m just glad you’re safe. I’d hate to think of those Barians getting their hands on a cute little pup like you.”

 

* * *

 

So of course, that’s exactly what happens. Rei and Yuma are walking home, taking a “short cut,” which is just an excuse to explore an abandoned construction project, when Gilag drops in.

“You!” Yuma screams, throwing herself in front of Rei. “Get lost!”

“Not likely,” Gilag fires back. “I’m going to crush you, and that runt.”

Yuma looks behind her—just Rei. “Who?” She asks.

“Him!” Gilag screams, pointing at Rei. “He ambushed Alit!”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “What?! No way, Rei would never!” She grabs one of Rei’s noodle arms and shakes it. “Look at this! You think he could take Alit on?”

“I know what Alit told me,” Gilag insists, “And he told me he was ambushed by Shingetsu Rei.” He pulls a cube from his pocket, and Yuma panics.

“REI, RUN!” She screams, but it’s too late. The sphere field surrounds all three of them, and Yuma activates her ring as quick as she can. “Hold on to me if you get hit with any damage,” she instructs Rei, “I’ll use my own body to keep you from getting hurt.”

“Yuma, I’m sorry!” Rei wails.

Yuma shushes him. Astral can’t help her now, and she’s facing an alien and trying to protect Rei. She can’t panic, she’s got to keep her head.

“This is a Battle Royal,” Gilag says. “The first turn is mine.”

They go around, and by Gilag’s second turn he’s already got a huge lead, dropping Rei’s life points to 2000. Yuma wraps her arms around Rei and holds him in front of her. her back collides with the sphere field, but the pain isn’t so bad, and Rei is spared the worst of it as well. But a facedown card Rei laid causes all players to lose 600 life points, which Gilag blocks. So Rei takes more damage, Yuma’s life points drop, and Gilag’s remain whole.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Rei whimpers as he and Yuma feel the effects of the sphere field yet again.

Yuma pats Rei’s head. “No, it’s okay,” she says. “We can do this.”

Gilag laughs. “Is that so?” He asks. “Let me show you how wrong you are.”

His skin splits apart, and he roars loud enough for the sound to echo outside of the field. Yuma shuts her eyes, waiting until the echo fades before she opens them. Gilag has changed into an alien, huge and with a face like a European knight’s helmet.

Yuma battles through her fear. In the time it takes Rei to make his move, Yuma manages to keep herself from puking. Then she takes her turn, and only ends up hurting her own life points when Gilag avoids having his monster destroyed, takes out Hope, and sends Hope’s attack points as damage Yuma’s way. She’s down to 900 life points.

The pressure mounts as Gilag activates his "Erosion Hand Forest" field spell, which will inflict 1000 damage to all players during his Standby Phase.

Rei does his best to help, only for Yuma to protect him by taking damage. Her life points drop by half, and she can feel the key heat up against her chest. Astral is suffering.

“For my will is as strong as yours,” She whispers, holding the key in her hand even though it burns her palm.

She draws a card, and Gilag activates one of his own—for every card in Yuma’s hand, she’ll lose 300 life points. But Rei saves her—he banishes his own monsters and all the cards in Yuma’s hand. He spares her the loss of life points, and in exchange for the cards he banished, he can bring an Xyz monster to the field from Yuma’s graveyard. Hope is revived, and for Rei’s final trick, he’s able to give Yuma a card from his hand. He tosses the card to Yuma and she catches it. She reads the title—Rank Up Barian’s Force.

Yuma sways and her head spins. Barian’s Force…a card a Barian uses…the only way Rei could have something like this is if…but it’s impossible, isn’t it?

She looks at Rei. “How?” She asks.

“Trust me,” he says, none of his former fear or innocence in his face, replaced now with steely-seriousness. “It’s the only way to save Astral.”

Yuma bites her lip. As loathe as she is to use this card, it’s true that this is the only way, and she loves Astral more than she fears Barians.

“KATTOBINGU!” Yuma screams. She uses the card and ranks up Hope, which emerges as Hope Ray V. The monster is beautiful and terrifying, just like a Barian. Yuma swallows a lump in her throat. She can only think of Astral. She destroys Gilag’s Numbers 106, and then attacks him directly. His life points drop to zero.

As the Field Spell fades, Gilag lifts his head to stare at Rei. “What the hell are you?” He demands.

“You’ll find out eventually,” Rei says coldly.

A portal opens behind Gilag, and he vanishes. The sphere field fades, and Yuma and Rei float gently to the ground. Yuma looks around to make sure they’re alone—for once, no one has turned up unexpectedly. Kite’s Barian meter must be malfunctioning. She turns to Rei.

“Are you one of them?” She asks him. “Are you a Barian?”

Rei nods. “But—”

Yuma slaps him across the face. “WHY WOULD YOU KEEP THAT FROM ME?!” She shrieks. “You’re supposed to be my friend!”

“Because it’s my job!” Rei shouts, holding his cheek. “I’m leading the revolution!”

Yuma freezes. “Revolution?”

Rei sits on the ground. “I’m a Barian, but I don’t want to destroy anything, except maybe the regime,” he says. “Gilag, Alit, Mizael, Vector, and one more named Durbe, they’re the Emperors of Barian world, and they’re the ones who want the destruction of Astral world and anything that gets in their way. I want to take the rulers down and change how the planet is governed.”

Yuma kneels beside Rei. “So why are you here?”

“Because they’re here,” Rei says. “They had eyes on you, I followed them. I confess, I wasn’t a fan of yours following the WDC, I knew the Barian Emperors would come for you. So I made myself someone I thought you would want to be friends with. I am sorry that I lied to you, but it was for my home planet. If I can take down the Emperors then maybe things can be better for my people.” Rei gives Yuma a hard look. “We may not look like you, but we have dreams and families just like you do. And this was bigger than me, or your feelings.”

Yuma closes her eyes and presses her fingers to her head. “Okay, okay,” she breathes. “So…what now?”

“I fight alongside you to keep Astral safe,” Rei says, “If you’ll allow me, and if you agree to keep my identity secret from everyone; Including Astral.”

Yuma doesn’t bother to hide her shock. “You know Astral and I are soulmates, don’t you?”

But Rei keeps his serious attitude. “Yuma, the more people who know about me, the more danger I’m in. You’ve seen and felt the power of the Emperors, you have technology, Numbers, and love to protect you. I have nothing, I can’t have anything that would tip the Emperors off. I’ve already jeopardized myself by giving you Rank-up Barian’s Force. Gilag will be out of it for a while, so I have to move quickly.”

Yuma purses her lips. “Okay. I don’t like it, but I’ll keep it a secret. And I’ll be happy to help you with your mission if you help me with mine.”

Rei smiles and says, “And while we’re working my case, I need you to do everything I say. You’re my subordinate, got that?”

Yuma snorts. “I’m nobody’s subordinate and you’ve got to deal with that. Don’t you know by now that I used to be in a duel gang?”

Rei looks uneasy for the first time. “Er, right. We’ll talk more about that later.”

Yuma knows defeat when she hears it.

 

 

Once Yuma gets home, she goes up to her room and taps on the Key. “Astral, if you can hear me, I really need to talk to you,” she whispers.

She’s not really expecting him to come out, he’s injured after all, but he pops up at once.

“Oh, hey,” Yuma says, as Astral looks around the room, “I have to tell you something, I fought a Barian with Rei.”

“Me first,” Astral says. His face is drawn and he looks very tired for someone who should have been resting. “I set Numbers 96 free.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “You did what now?! That crazy Number? I thought we were done with it!”

“So did I, but I was wrong,” Astral says. “And at the same time, I figured out what the Barians are after. It’s called the Numeron Code.”

 

* * *

 

Astral shut his eyes against the pounding headache that lingered over his right eye. Why did it just hurt on that one side? Was this what Yuma called a migraine? It was most unpleasant. The Numbers cards spun lazily around him, waiting for him to call on them, but suddenly they started to glow brighter, not helping his headache at all. Astral straightened up and opened his eyes, and to his shock 96 appeared before him.

“How are you here?” Astral snapped. “You should have been sealed away.”

“I don’t take orders from you,” 96 responded.

“You have no power over me,” Astral fired back.

96 laughed. “Maybe not, but I have power of my own that certainly matches yours. Do you think movie quotes will be enough to defeat the Barians? You need me.”

“Like hell I do,” Astral said.

“There can be no light without the dark,” 96 said cryptically. “You and I are two sides of the same coin.” He floated upside down and grinned at Astral. “Besides, I know something you don’t. About the Numbers, and what your true goal is. You should try listening to me, or the other Numbers at least. We’re dying for you to hear.”

 

* * *

 

“So I tried listening to the Numbers, only to end up dueling a monstrous spirit. Unable to defeat the creature on my own, I agreed to release 96 if he would help me beat the creature and unlock my true memories.”

Yuma nods slowly, her head spinning. “And what did you learn?”

“That I’m here to retrieve to Numeron Code before the Barians find it.”

“And what is the Numeron Code?”

“It’s something like a memory chip,” Astral explains, “But on a much larger scale. It contains the secrets of the universe, how the world was created, and what the future holds. That being said, if one can get it, they can figure out how to alter the world, the future, even the past. They can change things so that entire events never happened, or entire worlds never existed. It’s also why my memories were split into pieces—I know where the code is, but I’ll only remember once all the Numbers are mine, this was to hopefully prevent the code’s location from falling into the wrong hands. The Numbers that we have yet to find are key to locating the Numeron code.”

“What happens if we don’t find it before the Barians?” Yuma asks.

Astral gives her a serious look. “Then Barian world will erase Astral world from existence.”

Yuma shivers. “So that’s why we need to get it first,” she mutters.

Astral nods. “And what did you want to tell me?”

“Oh,” Yuma says, “Rei is a Barian and he wanted me to keep it from you, which means that I don’t totally trust him.”

Astral gapes. “What?!”

Yuma shows him Rank-up Barian’s Field. “He gave me this and said he was a Barian evolutionary who wants to overthrow the regime because not all Barians are evil.” She tells Astral about the duel against Gilag, and more of what Rei told her.

“Do you believe him?” Astral asks.

Yuma bites her lip. “I don’t think he’s evil, but he wanted me to keep his identity hidden from you, which I would think excludes him from being totally innocent. But until we know his intentions, I think it’s good to keep him on our side. I won’t tell him about the Numeron Code, not unless he brings it up to me. No need to go tipping our hand. Oh, and don’t let on that you know I told you his secret.”

“This is complicated,” Astral says.

“This is espionage,” Yuma corrects, “And I love it!”

Astral sighs then sits beside Yuma. “What about what 96 said? About needing it? Needing darkness?”

Yuma shakes her head. “What does he know? The Barians have been a piece of cake so far. We got this Astral, I promise.”


	39. Friendly Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I call Obomi Lillybot because I like that name better.

The following days are almost boringly ordinary. Yuma doesn’t tell Rei about Astral knowing anything, and she doesn’t tell anyone about the Numeron code. She and Rei sneak around Alit and Gilag’s hideout, but don’t find any clues about how much they knew.

Not wanting to tip her hand, Yuma keeps it from Rei that Kite is investigating the Barians as well. After school she hustles over to Heartland tower and ends up bumping into Lillybot on her way.

“What’s the haps, Lilly?” Yuma asks.

“On my way home,” Lilly beeps at her, “After shopping.”

Yuma takes a detour to help Lillybot unpack the groceries at home, then she invites Lilly to visit Kite with her.

“Do you require help?” Lillybot asks.

“No,” Yuma says, “But I would like for you to meet Kite, and don’t you want to go out without working?”

Lilly beeps confusedly, but follows Yuma anyway. As they make their way into the city, Yuma points out the birds and trees, and shapes in the clouds. Lilly doesn’t appreciate everything, but she fakes it well enough.

Upon arriving at Heartland tower, Yuma is greeted enthusiastically by Hart. He runs to her and she scoops him up and spins him around, planting kisses all over his sweet face.

As Yuma lets Hart back down, he catches sight of Lillybot. “Who’s this?” Hart asks.

“I am Lillybot,” she responds.

Hart’s eyes light up. “Nice to meet you,” he says. “I like your ribbon.”

“Kotori gave it to me,” Lilly says.

Yuma nudges Hart. “Where’s your brother?” She asks.

Hart points her in Kite’s direction and asks Lilly if she’ll help him get some snacks. The two of them head off, and Yuma goes to talk to Kite.

“What have we learned about the Barians?” Yuma asks as she barges into Kite’s lair.

“Not much,” Kite growls, “Because Orbital 7 is daydreaming.”

Orbital sputters apologies, and Yuma frowns. “Well if Orbital is looking for Barians, what are you doing?”

Kite rolls his eyes at her, and Yuma hip-checks him. “I’ve never heard you thank Orbital for his service.”

“I have,” Kite says, rubbing his hip where Yuma bumped it. “But Orbital is doing his job.”

Hart enters the lab with Lillybot, carrying cookies and juice, and Orbital gasps.

“It—it’s you!” Oribital stammers. “You’re the one I saw!”

Yuma looks between Hart and Lilly. Orbital can’t be surprised by Hart, so is it Lilly he’s talking to?

“Do you know Lillybot?” Yuma asks him.

Orbital gasps, “Lillybot! Oh my circuits…”

Yuma laughs. Daydreaming, stammering and gasping? Yuma knows those signs. “Lilly, I think Orbital has a crush on you!”

Lillybot wheels around to Orbital. “Nice to meet you properly, when you’re not getting in my way,” she says, but she has her smiley face on so she can’t mean it in an unkind way.

“Lilly, are you teasing poor Orbital?” Yuma asks.

Orbital sighs dreamily, and Kite clears his throat. “I believe it’s almost time for Yuma to go,” he says firmly.

Yuma scowls. “Killjoy, why can’t we stay? Orbital and Lilly are talking.”

“Orbital has work to do,” Kite says. “There’s an alien battle on the horizon, or have you forgotten?”

Of course she hasn’t, but the robots are being cute and she’s not about to let Kite spoil that. Yuma claps her hands and cries, “I know, I can help you! I can take Orbital’s place, and he and Lilly can go on a date!”

“They’re robots,” Kite says, “They can’t—”

Yuma claps her hand over his mouth before he can finish that thought. “Yes, it’s a wonderful idea,” she says. “Hart, you can go with them and make sure they don’t get into too much trouble.”

And Hart, bless him, hustles the robots out before Kite can object. Kite sighs and turns to Yuma as the door to his lab closes behind the vanishing trio.

“You know, I’m not sure you can match Orbital’s talents,” Kite says.

Yuma sputters. “Oh, that’s what every girl wants to hear. I’m sure I’ll be fine!”

But truthfully, she’s not. She hangs over Kite’s shoulder but can’t make heads or tails of what he’s doing, Kite’s terrible at explaining what she’s supposed to be doing, and she nearly wipes his hard drive somehow. She and Kite bicker, and while she’s stressed about potentially ruining Kite’s work, Yuma’s also having fun messing with him; clearly his routine isn’t thrown off too often. Still, she’s very glad when Hart returns with the robots.

“How was the date?” Yuma asks, abandoning Kite as he tries to save whatever he was working on.

Hart gushes details about the walk the pair took and the traffic light they fixed on the way, and Kite screams, “Orbital I need you!”

Orbital careens to Kite’s side and Yuma distinctly hears Kite say, “Orbital, you are a lifesaver.”

Well, at least she got Kite to voice his appreciation for Orbital, and he and Lilly had, according to Hart, a very fun day.

 

* * *

 

When Rio comes stomping into the classroom, a pout on her face and her cheeks flushed, Yuma knows well enough to keep her mouth shut and merely off Rio a lollipop from her bag. Rio takes it and shoves it in her mouth, but even candy can’t muffle her mutinous mutterings.

“What’s wrong, Rio-san?” Tetsuo asks.

Yuma keeps her head down and doodles in the margins of her notebook.

“He drives me crazy,” Ro mutters. “I mean, I know he’s done so much for me, but do I have to bow to his every whim? Just because he had the luck to pop out of a birth canal first…”

“Eh??” Rei and Takashi cry.

Yuma rolls her eyes.

“My stupid twin!” Rio cries. She squeezes the lollipop stick and bites down hard on the candy. A loud crunch echoes around the nearly-empty classroom, Rio swallows the candy in her mouth and pitches the stick across the room, where it lands perfectly in the trash can.

Yuma sighs.

Rio crosses her arms. “I just don’t know what to do with him. He totally doesn’t respect me.”

“Make him respect you,” Tetsuo says. “If anyone can do it, it’s you, Rio-san!”

“Maybe I will,” Rio says. “Yeah, you know what I will!” She leaps to her feet. “I’m going to challenge him to a duel, and I’m going to kick his butt!”

Kotori glances at Yuma. “You’re awfully quiet,” she says as their friends rally around Rio. “Who will you root for?”

Yuma shrugs. “I’ve seen this before. They’re both at fault, so I’ll just keep my mouth shut.”

 

* * *

 

 

At lunch, Yuma slips away from the group and goes to Ryoga’s classroom. He’s staring out the window, his arms folded and his jaw clenched.

Yuma kisses his cheek and sits.

“I suppose by now she’s told you all about it,” Ryoga says.

Yuma says nothing.

“I love her to pieces, but for god’s sake, she drives me crazy sometimes,” Ryoga continues. “I know it’s normal for siblings to not get along but she just has to escalate things, and I’m not innocent either, but being two minutes younger than me doesn’t mean she has to be so immature, right?”

Yuma helps herself to a riceball from Ryoga’s lunchbox.

“Now she wants to duel me, again,” Ryoga says. “Like, what will that solve?”

Yuma hides a grin.

“I’ll duel her anyway, I just think it’s pointless,” Ryoga says. “Our duels all end the same way anyway. You know she’s been keeping count? Apparently this is the 100th one.”

“Congratulations,” Yuma says, the first word she’s said in response to this particular fiasco.

Ryoga sighs. “Ah, whatever.”

 

* * *

 

 

After school, Rio and Ryoga meet on the duel field.

“Are you ready to settle this?” Rio asks, activating her duel disk. “Mr. Afraid of Onions and Peppers?”

“No, I’m ready to show you how pointless this all is,” Ryoga fires back. “You have your own irrational fears, no need to bring mine into this. I’m taking the first turn.”

“You always go first at everything!” Rio screeches, but Ryoga ignores her.

Cathy turns to Yuma. “Who do you think will win?” She asks.

Yuma rolls her eyes. “No way, I’m not taking bets.”

“Rio will win, obviously,” Tetsuo says. “She’s got a lot of pent-up rage. She even beat a Barian controlled duelist.”

“So did Ryoga,” Kotori reminds him.

Ryoga Xyz summons on his first turn and attacks, but Rio blocks him.

“I expected that much,” Ryoga says. He plays a field spell and sets two cards.

“You always underestimate me!” Rio yells, tears in her eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore!” She Xyz summons as well, and deals her brother a good amount of damage. But Ryoga activates a face down and is able to use the damage to his advantage.

“I know you’re not a kid!” Ryoga shouts back even as he makes his move, “And I don’t underestimate you!”

“You do so!” Rio yells, “You think I’m not a good duelist and you think I need someone to look out for me.”

“Quit putting words in my mouth!” Ryoga fires back, “You don’t even really care about how I feel about you, do you? You just automatically assume that I’m the overprotective brother who doesn’t want anyone near you and that’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?!” Rio asks, “Because you’ve been avoiding me since I dueled Hanazoe.”

“I have not!” Ryoga says, “I was mad at you then because you took my stuff without asking me!”

“Like you don’t take my stuff without asking me,” Rio says. “And you could be a little more caring yourself!”

The duel is forgotten. As they shout, the twins draw closer to each other, until finally they cast off their duel disks and reach for each other’s heads.

“Ow!” Ryoga cries as Rio yanks at his hair.

“Ow!” Rio screams as Ryoga yanks at her hair.

“Let go!” Ryoga demands.

“You first!” Rio says.

Tokunosuke gapes at the pair. “Should we…stop them?” He asks, glancing at Yuma.

Yuma rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “No, this is how all their fights end. They’ll be like this for a while, then they’ll cry, talk, and make up. I can’t remember a time they ever had a duel with an actual outcome.”

Ryoga and Rio fall to the ground, scrabbling at each other, shoving and elbowing for a few more minutes, until Rio bursts into tears.

Ryoga stops pulling her hair and hands her a tissue. “I do care about what you think,” he says. “And I never said I wouldn’t eat with you, just that I wanted to order from a different place.”

“Can’t you ever just try something new for me?” Rio sniffles.

“Yes, as long as it doesn’t have pepper or onion in it!”

“They fought over food?” Cathy hisses.

Yuma checks the notes on her phone. “That makes it their fourth serious food fight,” she says.

“I don’t understand siblings,” Rei says, shaking his head.

Ryoga pats Rio’s back. “You know I love you, right?” He asks.

Rio nods. “I love you too. And I know you sacrificed a lot while I was in the hospital.”

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Ryoga says without hesitation, “But I never want you to get hurt again.”

Yuma grins. “They fight like animals, but they love each other like angels.”

“That’s a weird comparison,” Takashi says, shaking his head.

Rio and Ryoga hug it out and walk off the field arm in arm. “Wanna watch Labyrinth?” Rio asks Ryoga. “You can pick what we eat.”

“Sounds like a good deal,” Ryoga says.

Yuma shakes her head. “I love them both, but they can be such nitwits.”


	40. Battle Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma encounters Vector and Rei is kidnapped.

Yuma sneaks out of her house at midnight to meet with Rei at the docks. As she arrives a sphere field fades, and Yuma catches a glimpse of a purple-skinned figure with a hood up before it disappears. She sees Rei slumped next to a shipping container and rushes to his side.

“You okay?” She asks, pressing a hand to his cheek. His skin is clammy and cold. She wrinkles her nose and wipes her hand on her pants. “Who was that?”

“Vector,” Rei hisses, “The last Barian Emperor and a monster if there ever was one. I’ve been tracking him for so long, and I can’t let him get away now.” He gets to his feet. “Yuma, I’m going to follow him, and I need you to keep a look out for danger while I’m gone.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out five cards. “These should help you.”

Yuma takes the cards and looks them over. “Are they all from Barian world?” she asks.

Rei nods. “Don’t let Astral see them.”

Yuma frowns. “Rei, isn’t it time to clue him in? I think having him in the know could help us.”

“I know you hate lying to him,” Rei says, “But I’m about to go on a dangerous mission, I can’t take time to explain things to him or jeopardize my cover.”

Yuma sighs. “Oh, very well. I wish you luck with your hunt.”

Rei smiles. “Thank you, and good luck to you, too.”

Rei disappears, and Yuma starts to walk home. When she leaves this shipping yard, Astral appears over her shoulder.

“Let’s see these cards,” Astral says.

Yuma holds them up. “Between them and Hope, we should be just fine against all Barians.”

 

* * *

 

If it were a little brighter, Barian world would be gorgeous. With all the crystal points jutting out of the ground and buildings, the world could have been awash in rainbows and dancing lights. But the sun wasn’t out at the moment, and even if it was, it never would have penetrated the depths of the Barian Emperor’s castle to light up the throne room.

At the moment, the throne sat empty, a constant reminder of the lost Emperor and his right-hand, his sister. Two Barians, Alit and Gilag, were encased in amber crystal as they recovered from the injuries they had sustained on earth. The cocoons hovered midway up the stairs to the throne, the Barians inside them appearing lifeless.

Standing below the sleeping Barians, Mizael balls his hands into fists. “That pesky little girl is becoming a bigger issue than any of us foresaw,” he growls. “She and Astral must pay for what happened to Gilag and Alit.”

“I agree,” his companion says, “But if we don’t want to end up just like them, we have to be careful. Clearly, the girl and the original number are formidable.”

“How boring,” drawls a third voice, one that makes the other two snap to attention. Up on the throne sits a new Barian—he lies across the seat of power with the air of one who has no regard for authority of any kind. He wags his finger at the other two. “But why am I surprised? Durbe is the very living definition of boring!”

“Finally shown your face, have you?” Durbe asks the third Barian.

“Vector, you bastard!” Mizael shouts.

Vector giggles madly and descends from the throne, stopping at the amber cocoons. “Oh, what a mess!” He cries. “This is what happens when you let simpletons do the heavy lifting.” He holds a hand behind his ear. “What’s that?  _‘Please help us, Vector-sama, please forgive us for our misdeeds!’”_  Vector laughs and skips down the rest of the steps to stand before his fellow Barians. “Never fear, merciful Vector will forgive you!” He crows.

Mizael aims a punch at Vector’s face, but Durbe stops him.

“Now isn’t the time for infighting,” Durbe admonishes, “We’re now down four of our original grouping. We need each other.”

Mizael scoffs and lowers his hand. “Like I’ll ever rely on this slime,” he says.

“That being said,” Durbe continues, as though Mizael hadn’t spoken, “Vector, you have much to answer for. You haven’t returned since your plan to use Faker and Tron failed. Astral world is still causing headaches, and it’s all because Astral and Yuma defeated you.”

“Did they?!” Vector gasps, hands to his face. “Oh my, but you seem to have missed the point, my fellow Emperors! You see, while you sat here and did nothing, I saw Astral and Yuma’s true power! I felt it, I lived it, and now I know the extent of their strength and how to surpass it!” He laughs, “A thousand failures leading to one great victory, and not just against Yuma and Astral, but Kite and Ryoga as well.”

“Enough of this nonsense,” Mizael snaps, but Durbe stops him again.

“Fine, we’ll let this play out,” Durbe says. “But this is your last chance to do things your way.”

Vector laughs. “I’ll deliver those four to you, we won’t need any more chances after this!”

 

* * *

 

Yuma looks left and right. “Can’t trust shit,” she mutters, “Not even that tree over there…” she runs to the tree and kicks it. “Right, can trust that tree,” she whimpers, holding her leg.

Tokunosuke sighs. “Has she lost her mind?”

Cathy holds her hands up, fingers like claws, and Rio and Kotori both grab her wrists before she can harm Tokunosuke.

“It’s entirely possible,” Ryoga says tiredly. “She’s been like this since two days ago. Muttering at things, constantly checking her deck, looking around corners with mirrors…” She’s been carrying her backpack full of questionable stuff around in all that time, as well. Ryoga’s pretty sure a knife had been added to its contents.

“INCOMING!” Yuma screams, pointing at the sky.

“What now?” Tetsuo asks, but this time, there is something to fear. What looks like a meteor comes streaking at them, and the group dives for cover as it collides with the earth.

“I knew it!” Yuma screams, “Can’t have a moment of peace!”

“Peace?!” A voice cackles, “I hate the word, as I hate Astral world!”

The voice sends a shiver down Ryoga’s spine, it’s horrible, yet somehow familiar, like he’s heard it in a nightmare. A Barian is revealed briefly, one with purple skin, claw-like nails and glowing red eyes, but then it tosses up a sphere cube.

Ryoga cries out for Yuma just as she pushes the button on her ring, and the red light of the sphere obscures her from view. He grabs his phone and calls Kite. “Get down here now!” Ryoga screams as Kite or Orbital or someone answers, “We’ve got major trouble!”

The group hears the Barian identify himself as Vector, the one who took control of Dr. Faker. As much as Ryoga can’t stand Kite, he hopes that masochistic emo man-child shows up soon.

They hear Vector Xyz summon Numbers 66, and hear him accuse Yuma of holding a Barian card.

“Is that true?” Kotori asks.

Ryoga doesn’t hear Yuma’s response, he just hears Vector cackling.

Yuma summons Hope, and Ryoga knows Vector’s life points take a blow. The sphere lights up where the Barian’s body hits it. This is too easy, it must be planning something…Rio seizes Ryoga’s hand and squeezes it.

Vector announces his turn, and plays a card that allows him to regain life points. He attacks, and Yuma deflects as best she can, but an attack manages to land, and the sphere lights up as she hits the wall.

“I’ll destroy you,” Vector snarls, “Then I’ll destroy this whole filthy world!”

“YUMA!” screams a familiar voice, “Don’t listen to him!”

Everyone turns to see Rei standing a few yards away. He cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, “Believe in your deck!”

From within the sphere, Yuma laughs. “KATTOBINGU!” She screams.

Yuma starts playing cards that Ryoga has never heard of, and she brings out a new version of Hope, Hope Ray V. She deals a crushing blow and…defeats Vector.

The sphere field fades, and Yuma floats to the ground. Vector lies on the floor, but as Yuma’s feet touch the sidewalk, he begins to laugh.

“Did you honestly think I would make it that easy for you?” Vector snarls. “I’m going to ruin you!” He reaches out with a glowing arm, an arm that extends from his body, and makes a grab for Yuma, but Rei leaps in front of her and the hand grabs him instead.

“No!” Yuma screams.

Vector laughs as he drags Rei forward, “Do you want to save him?” He tosses a card to Astral, and Astral catches it. “Take that, it’ll be the key you need to find me.”

Yuma races towards Vector and Rei, but Vector disappears into a portal before she can reach them, Rei screaming as he vanishes.

“No!” Yuma wails, falling to her knees, “No, no, no!” She slams her fists into the sidewalk.

Ryoga and Rio run to her side. “Are you hurt?” Ryoga asks.

“It’ll be okay, we’ll find him,” Rio says at the same time.

Yuma shakes her head, tears dripping from her cheeks. “I was supposed to be on the lookout,” she sobs, “I promised, he was trying to protect me, it’s all my fault!”

“What is happening here?” Comes Kite’s voice.

Yuma whirls around as Kite lands behind them. She leaps to her feet and seizes Kite by the collar. “You,” she snarls, “You’re going to help me get Rei back—I’m still the leader of this duel gang!”

Kite gives her a cold look. “An explanation would be nice before you jump into making demands—I have no idea what’s going on.”

“What’s going on is Rei’s been kidnapped by some Barian scum named Vector and I need to find him!” Yuma screams.

“Stop screaming in my face,” Kite says, shoving her away. “It’s rude.”

Yuma looks like she’s about to explode. Ryoga puts a hand on her shoulder and tugs her away from Kite before she can slap him across the face.

“Let’s get to Heartland tower, then you can tell us more,” Ryoga says.

Yuma glowers at Kite, but keeps her mouth shut. They all set off for the city.

 

* * *

 

 

Within the Key, Astral holds up Numbers 66. The card glows, and begins to change shape. Something like a question mark with a sharp point emerges, and flies into the depths of the air ship. Above Astral, something else begins to glow—it looks like a globe, and within the globe is a blinking, red dot.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuma knows her friends are going to give her hell for making them go home, but it’s bad enough that Rei is gone and now Rio and Ryoga are involved in this, she can’t risk losing any more friends.

Yuma paces Kite’s living room, twisting the ring he gave her around her finger as she fills everyone in on the last few weeks. “…So I disobeyed Rei’s wishes and told Astral everything anyway. Then Rei battle Vector a few days ago but Vector disappeared when I showed up and Rei said he was going after Vector. Then Vector showed up here and I won a duel against him, but he had this in mind all along, he was going to take me but he grabbed Rei instead and who knows what that freak is doing to Rei!!!”

“But Rei is a Barian,” Rio says soothingly, “Maybe Vector won’t hurt him.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about Vector,” Yuma says, shaking her head, “He’s trouble.”

“I don’t see how I’m supposed to help,” Kite says.

Yuma whirls on him. “Can’t you track Barian energy signals or some shit?!”

“And if I could, what would you do?” Kite asks. “Look at you, you’re hysterical.”

Yuma reaches for her backpack, and Ryoga moves to stop her, but before either of them can get that far, Orbital pops up on a screen in front of Kite.

“Kite-sama! There’s been a disturbance in the gravitational force above the tower!”

The four of them race to the windows. “Is it them?” Rio cries, “The Barians?”

“One way to find out!” Ryoga says, and he takes off running for the stairs, the other three on his heels.

Heartland tower is still being rebuilt, so the roof isn’t as high up as it used to be. The foursome emerge on the construction site, and take in the swirling black clouds above them. A golden light bursts forth from Yuma’s key and she cries out as it connects to the clouds.

The clouds part, making way for what looks like something out of a steam-punk cartoon. It’s comprised of giant metal gears and bigger even than Heartland tower when it was in one piece…and it’s headed right for them.

The foursome leap out of the way as the ship collides with the tower, but there’s no crash, no smoke. Cautiously, the group looks over the edge of the air conditioning unit that they’re hiding behind.

“Hey, I know what this is!” Yuma cries.

“Me too, it’s from inside the Emperor’s Key,” Kite says. “How is it here?”

A golden light shines like a sunbeam from the ship, and Astral floats out along the path. Yuma’s heart skips a beat—he looks like an angel. She runs to him and hugs him.

“Are you hurt?” She demands, “You disappeared so quickly after the fight with Vector…”

Astral hugs her back. “I’m fine,” he says. “I studied the card Vector gave me. It activated the ship, and gave me coordinates to another world. Most likely it’s Barian world, and most likely it’s where Vector is holding Rei.”

Yuma shudders. “Shit,” she says. “We have to go to Barian world?”

Astral puts his hands on her cheeks. “It’s up to you,” he says. “The airship is gathering energy. We need at least twelve hours.”

Yuma gulps. “I’ll go,” she says. “If it’s okay with you.”

Astral kisses her briefly. “I know Rei means as much to you as our other friends. I’ll be there with you.”

“As will I,” Ryoga says. “I’ve got a bone to pick with Vector.”

“Same,” Rio says. “And I can’t let my brother go alone.”

“I suppose you’ll all need adult supervision,” Kite says.

“Guys,” Yuma cries, interrupting Ryoga as he makes to yell at Kite, “We don’t know what’s waiting for us…”

Rio throws an arm over Yuma’s shoulders. “All the more reason for you not to go alone.”

Yuma can see there’s no point arguing. “Okay,” she says. “We leave tomorrow.”

 

* * *

 

At home, Yuma keeps her mood light and tells grandma and Akari that she’s spending the weekend with Rio and Ryoga. It’s not uncommon, and she doesn’t let herself act any different than she normally would. No one mentions the giant sci-fi looking ship over Heartland tower—maybe it’s like Astral, only a few people can see it.

That night Yuma hides a letter in the attic, one that explains the truth. If something goes wrong, maybe her family will find it someday.

 

* * *

 

 

In the morning, Yuma takes off early with her bag full of possibly-illegal things, lunch, and her deck. She finds a surprise waiting for her outside of Heartland tower—Kotori, with a bag of her own slung over her shoulders and her taser in hand.

“I suppose you know you shouldn’t be here,” Yuma tells here.

“Neither should you,” Kotori says. “You’re fourteen and you wanna go, where, another world? To rescue a person from aliens? That’s not a job for a kid like me or you, not even a kid like Kite. Unfortunately, the only way I could convince the others to stay out of this was to promise them I’d help get Rei back, I think they’re watching to make sure I get into the tower.” She grins. “Besides, I’m still part of this duel gang.”

Yuma sighs. “I suppose can’t stop you, can I? Okay, let’s get this show on the road.”

They head up to the top of the tower, where Kite, Orbital, Ryoga and Rio wait. A green light beams them up to the ship, which looks as majorly cool from the inside as it does from the outside. Astral greets them inside and points to a green glowing orb above a control panel.

“The blue light is this ship,” Astral says, “The red is the coordinates Vector gave me. This ship will open a portal to get us there.”

“How do we steer?” Yuma asks.

Astral grins at her and guides her to a wheel much like that seen on an old-fashioned Earth ship. “Like this,” he says.

Yuma looks at him incredulously. “You want me to steer the mystery ship?”

“I’ll navigate!” Rio cries.

“I’ll stare at this screen,” Ryoga says.

“Guess I’ll watch this one,” Kite says with a shrug. “Orbital, make yourself useful.”

“Oye!” Yuma cries, “I lead the gang and that means I boss Orbital around! Now Orbital, go make yourself useful.”

Orbital grumbles and rolls over to a screen.

“I brought snacks!” Kotori says cheerfully. “We’ve got this!”

And with that, the airship takes off. They fly towards the sky, and a wormhole opens up in front of them. The ship sails right into the tunnel, and through the few windows and numerous screens, Yuma can see a swirling of green, purple, and blue lights.

“This is weird,” she says. “Wonder if anyone saw that wormhole open on Earth.”

“This could blow the lid off of science itself,” Kotori says. “Too bad we can’t tell anyone.”

There’s a few moments of silence as the magnitude of what they’re actually doing seems to settle over them. They’re traveling between dimensions, a feat no scientist on earth would believe possible in the present day and age—maybe hundreds of years into the future, but now? And for it to be a group of teenagers and an invisible alien making the trip no less?

Yuma never imagined her life taking this turn.

“Can we name this a galaxy hole instead of a wormhole?” Rio asks, breaking the silence, “Galaxy hole sounds prettier.”

Before Yuma can agree, an alarm goes off.

“Incoming projectiles!” Astral cries.

A screen lights up, showing…duel monsters?!

“What the flying fuck?” Yuma screams. The ship rocks, sending the lot of them flying to the floor. Yuma struggles to get back to her feet as the ship sways. They’ve got to get rid of these monsters! “Kite, can we breathe out there?” She calls.

“Sure, I guess,” Kite says, already taking off for a staircase.

“Okay, out we go!” Yuma says, pausing long enough to grab the pocket knife from her bag of tricks. One can never be too careful, after all.

“What do you mean, you guess?!” Ryoga shouts.

“Don’t be a wimp!” Rio says, running after Yuma.

“Kotori, steer us!” Yuma yells back as she climbs a staircase to an escape hatch. On the top of the ship, she stumbles across the roof and takes in the monsters swarming them. She summons Hope, and next to her, Kite summons Galaxy Eyes, Ryoga summons Shark Drake, and Rio summons Sylphine.

They do battle with their ace monster, defeating the incoming monsters easily, too easily for Yuma’s taste.

“Back inside!” She yells as things start to look hairy in the swirling tunnel-lights.

They dash back for the hatch, and just as Yuma slips in last, the ship is rocked yet again. Yuma hangs tight to the handrail as her friends tumble. She screams as the ship is enveloped by purple lightning and lists to one side. She shut her eyes, and doesn’t open them until she feels the ship go still.

Yuma peers out through the still-open escape hatch and finds herself staring at a floating pile of rubble. She pokes her head out of the hatch and finds a world of floating rubble. The ship seems to be resting on a broken airship runway.

“Everyone okay?” Yuma calls down to her friends. She hears several groans in response, and Astral joins her at the open hatch.

“This isn’t Barian world,” Astral says, “But I think these are the coordinates that Vector gave us.”

Yuma nods. “We’re here, guys!” She shouts. “Up and at ‘em, Kite and Ryoga! Kotori, Rio, see if you can get the ship running again!” She pats her pocket to make sure her deck and knife are still with her, then she leaps out of the hatch and races across the ship’s roof to a ladder. She climbs down, Kite and Ryoga following her.

Yuma jumps the last few rungs, stands on the broken-up runway, and looks around. “What a dump,” she says. “Is that a World War two plane? What is this place?”

“WELCOME TO SARGASSO!”

Yuma whirls to the voice and sees Vector standing several feet away, across from a crack in the runway, looking like the monster Yuma knows him to be.

“This is a graveyard,” Vector says through his mouthless face, “The place you will finally rest.”

“I’ve always wanted to die in a graveyard,” Yuma says sarcastically.

Two other Barians step out from the shadows of the trash world, one Yuma recognizes as Mizael, the bastard. The other, she’s never seen before.

Vector nods to the two. “Mizael, Durbe, I believe you have work to do?”

The two disappear, and Yuma looks around to see them reappear on other trash heaps. Ryoga and Kite take off for them, and Yuma turns back to Vector.

“Now, where is Rei?” She demands.

Vector giggles and snaps his fingers. Rei’s prone body lays at his feet, he’s in one piece, but very still…too still.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Yuma screams.

“So sorry,” Vector says, “He was more fragile than I anticipated. Too bad you didn’t get here sooner.”

Yuma’s blood runs cold. “No,” she whispers.

“He screamed for you,” Vector says, his eyes glowing. “At first, that is. In the end, he screamed for death, so I gave it to him.”

Yuma falls to her knees. Why can she picture it so clearly? Why can she imagine Vector being so cruel, torturing Rei without drawing blood? She remembers Rei, that first day she met him, how he smiled at her. Even if he was a Barian, even if he lied to her, they had fun, he was her friend. He was always down for a new adventure, always smiling, always so positive about everything. Now he’s gone, that light in his soul extinguished by a monster.

But still, something feels…off. Red’s motto comes to her,  _‘Trust nothing.’_

“Rei was Barian!” Yuma screams. “If he’s dead, why is he still human? This is a trick!” It has to be, it has to be, she can’t have come this far for it to be over.

“That’s right!” Ryoga shouts. “Yuma, stay strong!”

Yuma nods, and sets her duel disk. It’s not over until it’s over, and this is far from over.


	41. Who You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not who you are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You aren't ready for this but here we go.

Yuma doesn’t know what’s happening with Kite and Ryoga, and frankly, she doesn’t care. All she knows is that Rei’s body stood up, and Vector came splitting out of his skin.

“God, are you simple-minded!” Vector crows, “I spouted nothing but nonsense from my mouth, and you believed every single word!” He pitches his voice higher. “Barian Police, protecting Astral,” He throws his head back and laughs. “It was fun, playing friends with you!”

Yuma clutches her chest. She bares her teeth. Behind her Astral is yelling, begging her to calm down. But she’s beyond listening to Astral, or Vector, or anyone.

“I attack you directly with Hope Ray V!” She screeches.

“No you don’t!” Vector sing-songs, “Remember those five cards I gave you? They all have V in their names, and I activate a trap that sends them to the graveyard, gives me 500 life points for each one, and then for each of those five cards, you must send five cards to the graveyard!”

Yuma watches her cards fly out of her deck. She’s lost 25 cards in one turn, she only has three left, and now 3 turns to end the duel before she loses by a technicality.

“I knew you would have those cards in your deck,” Vector taunts, “I knew you’d use Hope Ray V, I knew you would lose your cool when you saw who I really was. You played right into my hands!”

Yuma falls to her knees. She did, didn’t she? Even though she was honest with Astral, even though she kept some of her friends out of this, in the end, what good did it do? There’s still people she cares about here, in this horrible world, because she had to rescue someone who wasn’t even a person, never mind her friend.

Vector stares at Yuma with those huge eyes, he snarls through his mouthless face, “You dragged everyone here, you’re all going to die, and it’s all your fault. What will you do?”

Yuma’s chest feels like it’s being crushed. She hunches over, head pressed to her knees, and shuts her eyes tight. She can’t breathe, she can’t think, she can’t possibly go on. Not like this, not how she is…

 _‘Is this all you are?’_  A voice whispers in Yuma’s head.  _‘Look at you, no wonder he thinks you’re weak. You haven’t always been like this though, have you? What happened to the fearsome girl who dueled gang members into submission? What happened to the girl who scared Red?’_

That’s right, she did scare Red now and then, didn’t she? When Kitty would show up with particularly vicious bruises, when the stories about Heartland would really get to her, Red used to say that she would get this look in her eyes like she was out for blood. At those times Red would take her aside and tell her to breathe through her rage, remember that she was a kid, and that temporary relief by breaking noses wouldn’t help in the long run.

But Red isn’t here now, is she?

Yuma takes a deep breath, and lets that rage consume her. It floods her, red hot and invigorating. Suddenly she feels like she can function again. Suddenly she feels like she’s not quite so helpless.

“You know,” Yuma hisses, “I think you’re the one who’s mistaken here.” She opens her eyes and the ground wobbles like her vision is blurring, or maybe the air and ground around her is physically wavering. “You seem to be under the impression that I’m a good person, but I’m not.”

Something strange seems to be happening to Yuma. She’s breathing like she’s just run a mile. Her lungs are on fire, her whole body is on fire for that matter—like her blood is boiling. It feels almost like Zexal—her skin is tingling, her veins are pulsing, her bones are shaking apart to form something new. She must be hallucinating, because now she can see the air, and it’s rushing towards her.

She closes her eyes and a blast of wind hits her. She lets out a shout as it rushes through and around her body—hot cold fierce gentle powerful consuming—and she grabs it, she controls it. It circles around her, lifting her hair and twirling through it like fingers. It encourages her, whispers to her—you are powerful, you are to be feared, you can stand up to Vector.

Yuma stands. She snatches her knife from her pocket and flicks it open. She finally looks up and sneers at Vector. “I’m not a good person,” she repeats. “And I’ve been pretending to be one for too long.” She cocks her head to one side and looks Vector up and down. “You know, I’ve been wondering if you Barian freaks would bleed if you were cut, what color your blood would be.”

Vector is silent as Yuma balances the knife between her fingers, point digging into the tip of her finger just enough to sting. She imagines sinking the knife into Vector’s chest. Would it work? Would the knife bounce off his skin? The wind circling her howls in approval.

“Wanna test it out, Vector?” She croons, “Wanna play with me? We can play Repo. I’ll be the surgeon, and I’ll see what your blood and bones and organs look like.”

She throws her head back and laughs. The wind whips around her. Oh, that feels good. She’s not scared anymore, she doesn’t feel guilty. There’s something to be said for anger.

Yuma cuts her laugh off as she bares her teeth. She hisses, “You hurt me, and I’m going to hurt you right back. But you know what? I don’t need a knife to do that.” She turns to Astral, barely paying attention to the horrified look on his face. “It’s time for Zexal.”

Astral shakes his head, rapidly, side to side. “I-I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he says. “I don’t like what you’re becoming.”

Yuma tries to dial it back, just a little. She sends the wind away, and feels her hair settle on her shoulders. “No, it’s good!” She insists. “I feel better, stronger, braver!” She laughs. “I can take on Vector! I’m a big, scary girl,” She smiles, feeling wild. “Try it Astral, try it with me!” She holds out her hand—why do her nails look so long? Whatever, it doesn’t matter. “Come on Astral. We can do this, together! Let’s be Zexal, let’s do this!”

Astral gulps, but he extends his hand slightly. Yuma lunges forward and grabs it, and they fly up together.

 

* * *

 

From inside the airship, Kotori watches Vector tear his way out of Rei’s body. She watches Yuma panic, she watches Yuma lose her cards, and then she watches Yuma lose her mind. The air around her seems to waver, a dark glow surrounding her, and then a strange wind rushes her and encircles her.

“Yuma!” Kotori and wails. She slams a button on the ship’s control panel and a telescope focuses closer on Yuma. Her nails have begun to elongate, her eyes look wild and her teeth look sharper, she hisses the most hideous things at Vector…and then she holds her hand out to Astral.

“No!” Kotori and Rio scream together.

But Astral and Yuma come together. The light from their fusion isn’t blue and red, but black and purple. The ball of light crashes into the airstrip, and when it fades, someone is standing there, but it isn’t the Zexal that Kotori recognizes. Everything about this person seems to be shadowed, like they’ve been cloaked in darkness. Their nails are long and sharp, their teeth like fangs, their eyes…completely black. They look like a monster, but Kotori can still see Yuma in them, which makes them even more terrifying.

This Zexal performs what they call a “Dark Draw,” like Shining Draw, but…not. The card they draw equips to Hope Ray V, and then, then Zexal and Vector begin a dance of attack, back and forth, with Yuma taking the most damage and reveling in it.

Rio grabs Kotori’s hand and pulls her up—when did she fall? “Come on,” Rio says, “We have to go save Yuma and Astral.”

 

* * *

 

Astral wakes up at the base of a tall tower, like something out of a fairytale, if the fairytale was about a desolate world. The sky is black with purple clouds, and there’s a howling wind that chills him to the bone. Somehow he knows Yuma is in that tower, and he needs to get to her. So Astral gets up and, finding himself unable to fly, he begins to climb the winding stairs.

Something has happened to Yuma. Astral has seen her mad before, but never like this. He has seen her lose hope, he has seen her hurt, and he guesses that this time has been too much. Yuma values her friends, and Rei, no,  _Vector_  betrayed her. She’s been hurt badly, and Astral…Astral blames himself for allowing it. He’s forgotten that Yuma is so young. She’s been comforting him, and yes, she has people around her, but how many of them truly understand her burden? She thinks she alone can save Astral world, can save him from the Barians, but who will save her?

“I will,” Astral tells himself. “I will…for my will is as strong as yours…”

Astral makes it to the top of the tower, emerging from the stairs in a large room with a single stained glass window. For the moment, he can’t see Yuma. Then he hears something, a voice whispering…

“…almost over, soon, soon…”

Astral looks under the window. A figure clothed in a black cape is crouched, facing away from him.

“Yuma?” He calls.

The figure turns. It is Yuma, looking like she did just before they formed Zexal, but…more. Her teeth are fangs, her eyes are wild and red, her nails longer even than Vector’s, and her skin has a greyish tint to it. She looks like death, Astral realizes.

“Yuma, what happened to you?” Astral gasps.

Yuma grins, baring her new teeth. “Nothing new,” she says. “I’m finally as ugly on the outside as I was on the inside.” She stands and twirls. “Aren’t I hideous, Astral? It’s okay, you can admit it.” She giggles. “I’ve always been a bad girl, I was just good at hiding it until Vector brought it out. I’m sick of being nice, letting people walk all over me and having to save them in the end. I’m ready to hurt people the way I’ve been hurt.” She turns to the window again. “Sorry Astral, but 96 was right. We do need darkness and evil and all those things. We’re stronger with them.”

“No, we’re not,” Astral insists. “We’re made of love, and…and I’m sorry.”

Yuma turns back to him. “What are you sorry about?” she scoffs.

“I wasn’t there when you needed me,” Astral says, stepping closer. “But I’ll do better now, if you let me help you.”

“No!” Yuma screams. She throws out her hands and a wind blows Astral back on to the floor. He rolls several feet before he sits up, stunned but not hurt.

Yuma backs away. “You, you go away now. I don’t want you to see me like this.” She covers her face. “You’re better than me, purer than me, I’ll be evil all by myself, I will.”

Astral’s chest is physically aching. Even now, angry and scared as she is, twisted as Vector has made her, she won’t hurt him. “But I love you,” Astral says, his voice breaking. “I love all of you, bad and good. But you’re not evil and I’m not purer than you. You’re scared and angry and I know that, I’m sorry I didn’t see it sooner and talk to you about it. I’m sorry I didn’t understand that this was too much for you to handle. I’m sorry I overburdened you.”

“No!” Yuma wails. She covers her ears and shuts her eyes. “You won’t trick me into giving up my power! I won’t be weak again, I won’t be scared, I won’t be used!”

“This isn’t your power!” Astral cries. “This…this isn’t who you are!”

The song, the song from Moana that she loves, it comes to him _._ “I… _I have crossed the horizon to find you.”_

Yuma seems to freeze. She lowers her hands from her head and opens her eyes. They’re not red anymore, and they’ve lost that crazed look. It’s working.

 _“I know your name…”_  Astral sings, gently.

Yuma stares at him, her mouth slightly open. Her teeth are no longer fanged.

 _“They have stolen the heart from inside you,”_  Astral whispers.

Yuma frowns in concentration. “But this does not…” she says hesitantly. She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. “Does not…”

 _“Define you,”_  Astral finishes.  _“This is not who you are.”_

Yuma opens her eyes and stares at him. She begins to cry. Astral launches himself at her, wraps his arms around her, and together they fall. Together, they fly.

 

* * *

 

Just as Ryoga steps toward the field where Zexal stands, ready to throw his own duel, Zexal freezes, convulses, and is engulfed in white light, from which two bodies are thrown. Yuma lands on one side, and Astral on the other.

Ryoga’s eyes sting with tears. “Thank you,” he whispers.

 

* * *

 

Astral’s ears ring, and everything beyond the ringing sounds muffled. They must have lost a lot of life points, since he can tell he’s fading. It takes so much effort just to lift his head. Yuma lies feet away from him, her arms over her face, and her whole body shaking as she cries.

“STOP!” Yuma screams.

Above them, Hope Ray V freezes.

“Stop,” Yuma whimpers. “Just make it all stop.”

Sargasso takes that as Yuma ending her turn. Hope Ray V goes back to its resting stance.

“You still have to take damage,” Vector says.

Astral ignores Vector and crawls over to Yuma. “I never finished the song,” he says.

Yuma lowers her arms. She’s filthy, her tears have left clean streaks in the dirt on her cheeks. She looks so tired, and ashamed, and scared.

Astral takes both her hands in his own.  _“This is not who you are,”_  he repeats,  _“You know who you are.”_  He leans down and presses his forehead against hers. He closes his eyes. “Who you truly are,” he finishes in a whisper.

Sargasso’s effect hits them.

The lightning hits Yuma square in the chest and Astral is blown back. When he opens his eyes again, Yuma is on her feet and fighting. Astral flickers in and out, catching only snippets of the duel, and he hears Vector, taunting her still. Yuma looks so tired, so worn-down, and through the haze of his own pain, Astral realizes that she’s fading, too.

 _‘Stop,’_  he wants to say,  _‘Can’t you see she’s been through enough? Leave her alone, take me, don’t make her do this.’_

She starts her next turn, but after she draws her last card she collapses again. Astral hears Vector say that she only has 25 life points left. Astral looks at her. She’s pale and sweating, and the spark in her soul seems dimmer. It makes sense—this world clearly wasn’t meant for humans, and she’s given so much to this duel and this world already.

Astral lifts his head. “Yuma,” he whispers, “Do you still believe in me?” He trusts she’ll be able to hear him.

Yuma pulls herself up and drags herself to Astral on her elbows. “Of course,” she says. “Do you believe in me, even after all this?”

Astral grins. “I do.”

Yuma leans down and kisses him. Once more, they fly up to the sky surrounded by light, but this time it’s familiar. They collide, hot and cold, fast and slow, inside and out, coming together until something new is born in this wasteland of a world. Something wonderful and powerful, something made of the love they have for each other.

 

* * *

 

A wave of relief washes over Kotori as the new Zexal stands feet away from her. “Yuma! Astral!” She screams.

They turn and give Kotori and Rio a smile and a wave. “Ship good to go?” They ask.

Rio nods and snaps a picture with her phone.

“Good, because we’re going home soon,” Zexal says.

Kotori sobs. “Yuma, Astral, I…” she can’t speak.

Zexal nods. “I know. We’ll talk later, I promise. I love you both, now get back to the ship and get ready to fly us home.”

 

* * *

 

Zexal looks down at the card in her hand—yes, she’s a girl now, and she’s ready to fight. The card glows and then changes.

“Rank up Numeron Force,” she says.

“What?!” Vector screams, “You modified the card?!”

“No,” Zexal says, “I revealed its’ true form.” She grins. “For my will is as strong as yours, and my Kingdom is as great.” She laughs at the look on Vector’s face. “You never did watch Labyrinth with us, did you, Vector?”

She ranks up Hope Ray V to Hope Ray Victory, negates Sargasso’s effect, and kicks Vector’s ass.

 

 

Durbe calls to Mizael and tells him that they have to go. The two Barians vanish into a swirling green and blue light. Ryoga and Kite take that as their cue to haul ass back to the ship. They hightail it past falling rocks, so close to the ship when the ground breaks under their feet…

“Saved your life!” A voice crows as a hand grabs Ryoga by the back of his shirt. He looks up—it’s Zexal. The green light of a tractor beam encases them, and in a flash, they’re back on the ship.

“Here we go!” Orbital 7 screams, and the ship speeds out of Sargasso, back into the Galaxy Hole and away from this nightmare.

Zexal glows, and when the glow fades Astral and Yuma stand apart.

Ryoga runs to Yuma and hugs her as tight as he can. “Thank god, thank the universe, thank you David Bowie,” he mutters.

Yuma hugs him just as tightly. “I’m sorry,” she whispers tearfully. “I’m so sorry I dragged you into this, all of you, I’m so, so sorry.”

Ryoga knows she’ll keep apologizing, so he stops her with a kiss. He keeps it short, because he knows she’s barely breathing, and then he wipes tears from her cheeks. “It’s not your fault,” he says.

Kotori and Rio each hug Yuma and tell her the same thing. Kite even comes over and gives her a one-armed hug and tells her not to beat herself up.

Finally, Yuma sighs and rubs her cheeks. “But how will we tell the others about…Vector?” She asks.

“Together,” Ryoga says, taking one of Yuma’s hands.

“Together,” Astral agrees, taking her other hand. “Like we always have, and always will.”


	42. Hunt is On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So begins the search for the Mythyrian Numbers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I'm trying to avoid going into detail about the card games that happen in this show because it's time consuming, I don't play the game, and who is honestly here for the card games in this card game anime?

When Yuma got home after Sargasso, she went right to the shower, turned it up as hot as she could stand, and scrubbed her skin as hard as she could. She forced herself to act normal at home and she went to school, knowing she couldn’t avoid her friends like she wanted to.

She’s managed to avoid Ryoga all day, and she doesn’t think he knows where she is right now. 

“I don’t know how it happened,” Yuma says as she finishes her story. “I mean, it’s one thing to change when I merge with Astral, but on my own? That was…well, it was something else.”

She’s looking at her friends but not really seeing them. She knows they must be shocked, Kotori and Rio were when they saw it in person. Neither of them have let go of her hands since they got to the school roof and Yuma started telling everyone the story of the Numeron code, Rei being a Barian, and what happened in Sargasso.

“I think I know how,” Astral says.

Yuma looks over at him—Rio relates what he says to the rest of the group.

“Sargasso was an alternate dimension. It worked differently than Earth, it fed on your rage and amplified it.” He hesitates. “I believe that, had we not formed Zexal for the second time…it would have killed you.”

Yuma can feel the blood drain from her face. Rio cuts herself off.

“What? What did Astral say?!” Tokunosuke demands.

“That Sargasso would have killed me,” Yuma spits. She shakes her hands free of Rio and Kotori and stands to pace the length of the roof. “This is getting out of hand, I mean it’s been out of hand for months, all these near deaths, including my own…” her voice cracks and she buries her face in her hands. “I didn’t want any of this. Fuck everything…all I wanted was Rio and Ryoga back.”

“You can—” Astral begins, and Yuma whirls on him.

“Don’t you fucking dare tell me I can stop. I can’t do that, because then what? Who’s going to keep the Barians from getting the Numeron code and wiping out Astral world, or hell, even Earth?” Yuma points at Astral, “I do not, for one moment, regret getting involved with you. If it weren’t for you and the numbers Ryoga would still be in a gang, I wouldn’t be friends with Takashi and Tokunosuke and Cathy, Rio would probably still be in coma, and I wouldn’t…have you.”

She lets her arms fall. She sits down, totally exhausted. “I just wish the good could stay good and the bad could stay far, far, far the fuck away from me.”

“Ain’t that the life,” Tetsuo says, plopping down next to Yuma. He puts an arm around Yuma’s shoulders and she turns to him and sobs into his shirt. “Alright, there, there,” Tetsuo says, patting her back. “You let it out. We all know you don’t mean that you wanted Astral out of your life. You’re fire and brimstone for sure, so no one’s really surprised you grew fangs, but you could come up to me with  _two_  mouths full of fangs and nails like hawk talons and I’d still be like, ‘We riding our boards to school tomorrow or what?’”

Yuma sniffles and rubs her eyes. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, any of you.”

“Even if we did, it’s not your fault,” Tetsuo says. “What if it had been me who had the Emperor’s key? Would you leave me alone to deal with the Barians?”

Yuma shakes her head.

“There you go,” Tetsuo says.

Cathy comes over as well and sits on Yuma’s other side, wiping away Yuma’s tears with a handkerchief. “We’re with you all the way,” she says, sounding tearful herself.

Their lunchbreak ends with all of them in a group hug, tears shed all around. In the end, Yuma supposes she can’t keep them out of it—if nothing else, simply because Vector betrayed them, too.

 

* * *

 

When Yuma gets home she gives her grandma a kiss on the cheek and heads straight to her room. She tosses her backpack on her bed and heads to the attic, and nearly screams when she sees a figure sitting under her window.

“You!” She hisses, pointing at Ryoga, “What are you doing here?”

“Well you avoided me all day at school,” Ryoga says, scowling. “I knew you would be sulking in your room.”

“You’d sulk too if you turned into a monster,” Yuma says.

“Hmm,” Ryoga says, “Losing control of your anger because something took hold of your head. I have no idea what that’s like, nor have I ever sulked.”

Oh yeah, Number 17…

“Sorry,” Yuma says quietly.

Ryoga stands up and brushes off his pants. “You and Astral talk things out?”

Yuma hesitates.

“Ah,” Ryoga says, “So you talked about some things, but not about how violated you feel.”

“I mean…I did something similar to him,” Yuma mutters. “That’s how dark Zexal came about.”

Ryoga walks over to her and takes her hands. “If anything, maybe it’s a good thing,” he says. “I don’t think Astral could have understood your anger otherwise. It’s okay to be happy, but anger is important too. Too much is hurtful, yes, but you can’t be cool and collected all the time.”

Yuma nods. “I know, but…I really scared myself.”

“I’d be lying if I said you didn’t scare me,” Ryoga says, “But I’m not scared of you anymore.” He hugs her, and Yuma presses her face into his neck. Behind her, she feels another person hug her.

“Astral?”

“No, the boogeyman,” Astral says playfully.

“Ah, help me,” Yuma deadpans.

The three of them laugh, and then Ryoga leads the way down the ladder to retrieve Yuma’s backpack. He does her homework for her while she lays on her bed and vents about her fears and anxieties. Then he lays down next to her, Astral snuggles up on her other side, and the three of them take a nap.

It’s the best few hours of Yuma’s life.

 

* * *

 

There’s a reason that no Barian Emperor has ever checked if the legend is true, that Don Thousand lies trapped beneath the Barian sea. If any one of them touches the water of the sea, their skin burns. But Vector is beyond the control of mere pain—he needs power, he needs victory. If his skin burns off, so be it if he gets to Don Thousand.

Vector descends into the sea, the water searing every inch of his body, but the legend is true, and the God enters his body and gives him new strength. Vector leaves the sea feeling like he’s just taken a pleasant dip in spring water, and with new knowledge of hidden Numbers.

Vector smirks and spreads his wings, taking off for the palace. Time to send his fellow Barians on a hunt.

 

* * *

 

Yuma knows they’re in trouble when Rio jerks upright in history and her eyes get a glazed look. At first Yuma wonders if it’s a seizure, but then a chill goes through her own body and she realizes it’s far more sinister and uncontrollable.

Rio texts Ryoga under the desk to meet on the roof, and then she pretends to faint. Kotori and Yuma enthusiastically volunteer to take her to the nurse. Once they’re down the hall they head straight for their lockers to grab their shoes and jackets, and Yuma grabs her bag of tricks (which she’s taken to keeping on hand at all times) and skateboard (because she’s got a feeling she’ll want it), then they go to the roof.

Rio admits that she can’t sense anything anymore, but the feeling she got in class was intense. “I’m worried,” she says.

“Me too,” Yuma admits.

Suddenly the wind picks up and a shadow falls over them and they look up. The airship has appeared, and the four of them are shortly beamed up.

“What’s with this?” Yuma asks Astral.

“Something’s happened,” Astral says. “I was exploring the ship, and suddenly this map popped up.” Astral gestures, and a green, virtual representation of the Earth pops up. “As you can see, it has several red dots on it.”

It does indeed—seven, Yuma counts. “I know those locations,” she says. “They’re ruins, my dad went to them, he marked them on the map in the attic.” Yuma has had those locations memorized for years.

“Those locations contain Numbers,” Astral says.

“How do you know?” Yuma asks.

Astral looks guilty. “Because there was also a message, and I saw it.”

He gestures again, and up pops…

“DAD!” Yuma screams, running forward. She touches the image, and of course her hand goes right through it. It’s only a hologram, after all.

“Yuma, Astral,” Kazuma’s hologram says, “If you see this, it means things are getting bad. Yuma, my little star…I bet you’re not so little anymore, but you’re still too young for this. I wish for so many things to have been different, but for now, you and Astral can’t let the Barians get these seven Numbers. If they were to, the Barian’s powers would become immeasurable. Go to the ruins as soon as you can, and tread carefully. I know you can do this, and I’m proud of both of you.”

The hologram fades, and Yuma falls to her knees with her hands over her mouth. She can’t tell if she wants to sob, scream, or puke. She doubles over, feeling something building up inside her chest. She inhales deeply, and lets out a shout.  _“HE KNEW!”_

She hears Kotori yelp, and Astral call her name. She gets to her feet, shaking and seeing red. “Dad knew about the Numbers! He had to, how else would he have set up this hologram?! And then he, he had the audacity to call me his star…” her voice breaks and her rage evaporates all at once, leaving her drained and sad. She feels a sob coming but desperately holds it back. “I’ll go find those Numbers, and I’ll find my dad, and I’ll give him a punch in the gut for this.”

Ryoga snorts. “Okay, so I guess we better get on it, then.”

Yuma looks over her shoulder at him. “We? All four of us?”

Ryoga nods. “Why not? We’re already here.”

“Now?!” Yuma cries, “What about school? Akari will kill me!”

“Your dad said ‘soon,’” Kotori says. “And Rio did just faint, so we have an excuse.”

So Ryoga calls Sayaka, who calls the school and says that Rio is being escorted home by her brother and friends. Kotori and Yuma repeat the lie to their families, and without stopping to even get a change of clothes, they take off in the airship, ignoring the red dot on the island of Japan and instead choosing to go to the dot in Columbia.

The five of them monitor the screens, but the space-hole they’re in seems even more volatile than the last one. Just as Yuma starts to question her decision to do this right now, a streak of light comes flying towards them, and Yuma zooms a camera in on it to see the face of a Barian.

Everyone screams. The Barian collides with the ship, and they all go flying.

 

 

Yuma wakes up with her back against a tree, dirt in her mouth, and her ears ringing. She sits up and clutches her head as it spins.

“Goddamnit,” she mutters. Why is she outside? Where is the airship?

The Barian!

Yuma leaps to her feet, staggers, and feels a hand on her arm.

“You okay?” Astral asks.

“Yeah,” Yuma says. “Why aren’t we in the ship?”

“I don’t know,” Astral admits. “I suspect the Barian had something to do with it.”

Yuma looks around. They’re alone, but the forest definitely looks South American, though that doesn’t mean they’re in Columbia, or anywhere near the ruin. “Guess we should find the others,” she says, feeling the beginnings of a headache behind her eyes.

She hears a roar from close by—a roar she recognizes as belonging to a speckled bear.

“Crap, there’s bears afoot!” She cries, taking off in the direction of the roar and hoping the creature hasn’t cornered someone.

It has, and she doesn’t recognize the boy cowering before the bear, but she’s nothing if not her father’s daughter. She lets out a howl and waves her arms above her head. The bear turns to her, and she continues screaming, waving her arms, and making herself as odd and threatening as possible. As she does that, Astral puts himself in front of her and stares the bear down. After a few seconds, the bear meanders off.

Yuma sighs. “Scared him right off,” she says, more for the unknown boy’s benefit than her own.

Speaking of the unknown boy, he suddenly groans and falls to the ground. Yuma turns to him. “Are you hurt?” She asks in English.

The boy looks at her in confusion, then nods slowly. She kneels in front of him and takes his arm. He hisses in pain, and she winces as she sees the gash in his upper arm. She takes off her backpack and digs out her first aid kit, and is just setting about cleaning the would when Ryoga comes crashing through the undergrowth.

“Yuma, get away from him!” Ryoga demands.

“Shut up,” Yuma says, “I’m just bandaging his arm.”

“Do you know who he is?” Ryoga asks. “You’re so naïve, what if he’s—”

“A tourist?” Yuma interrupts sharply. She looks at Ryoga over the injured boy’s head and glares at him. Of course she knows this boy could be the Barian they collided with, but if he is, he doesn’t seem to be in any shape to battle them.

Yuma turns back to the boy and wraps gauze around his arm. “What’s your name?” She asks, going back to English.

“N-Nash,” the boy says.

“And what are you doing here?” Yuma asks him.

“I was with my family,” he says slowly, “We were hiking, looking for ruins, but I got turned around.”

Yuma nods and ties off the gauze. “Nice bracelet,” she says, nodding at the gold band around his wrist. Very out of place for a hiker.

Nash winces again and covers his wrist. “It’s a gift from family,” he says, almost defensively.

Yuma nods and hauls Nash up by his good arm. Astral and Ryoga are frowning at her, so she says, keeping with English, “I can’t in good conscious leave an injured person alone, so you should tag along with us just to be safe.” She glares at her boyfriend and goes back to speaking Japanese. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” She raises her eyebrows at him and he grumbles. If this boy is a tourist, he probably doesn’t speak Japanese. If he’s a Barian and can understand her, well then he knows she’s on to him. Let him do with that what he will.

Having no idea where the crash deposited them, Yuma closes her eyes and imagines a map in her head. she knows the coordinates for the ruins, and if she’s right she has a GPS locater in her bag…

But she doesn’t need the locator, because a scream echoes through the trees.

“That’s Kotori!” Yuma cries.

She, Ryoga, Astral and Nash take off in the direction of Kotori’s hysterics, and they emerge from the forest into a small clearing, where the ruins of an old temple sit. The screams are coming from inside the temple.

Yuma dashes in first and finds Kotori and Rio standing on a boulder, Kotori clinging to Rio and screaming hysterically.

“What’s wrong?!” Yuma demands.

Kotori sobs and points to the ground.

“Ooh!” Yuma squeals, instantly delighted, “It’s a rainbow boa!”

Rio pats Kotori’s back as she sobs that snakes are the enemies of “birds,” her namesake. Yuma gently grabs the snake behind its head so it won’t strike her out of fear, and then scoops it up around the middle. She releases the snake at the entrance to the ruin and shows Kotori that it is now gone. Kotori calms down, and Yuma introduces her friends to Nash, giving them the same stony look she gave Ryoga and Astral moments ago.

Ryoga walks further into the temple. “Seems to be a dead end,” he says.

Several things happen at once—Yuma yells at Ryoga not to walk around so carelessly in an old temple, at the same time pushing Kotori and Rio towards the wall, Astral floats around to examine the walls, and then the temple suddenly gets very dark.

Everyone turns—the entrance to the temple is now blocked off.

“Shit,” Yuma hisses. She grabs a flashlight from her backpack and switches it on. She glares up at Astral, but he puts his hands up—of course he couldn’t have done anything, he’s not corporeal.

There’s the sound of rock scraping against rock overhead and they all look up.

Nash lets out a shout, “Watch out!” He crashes into Ryoga and knocks him to the wall opposite where Yuma, Astral, Kotori and Rio are, and then a great stone slab slams to the floor, right where Ryoga was not a second before.

The three girls scream and Yuma rushes the slab, pushing with all her might, but the ages in ruin have not weakened the stone.

“I’m okay,” Ryoga calls. “The dead end opened up over here.”

Yuma looks over, so has the end over by them—now there’s a long stone corridor before them. “Same,” she says, trying to calm her racing heart. “Okay, I guess we start walking, but find stones or something to toss in front of you. Have you got a light?”

“Got my phone,” Ryoga affirms.

Yuma sighs in relief, then screams, “WHEN WE GET OUT OF HERE I’LL KILL YOU!” Before stalking down the new path.

Rio and Kotori jog after her.

“So, Nash, huh?” Rio asks.

Yuma nods and glances over her shoulder at Astral. “He and Ryoga think he’s a Barian. Maybe he is, he has some kind of weird, alien-looking bracelet, but he was hurt and didn’t attack me. Even though Vector’s a piece of work, maybe not all Barians are bad. Maybe if he is a Barian, I can show him that.”

“Is that wise?” Kotori asks.

Yuma shrugs. “But you know, he might not be a Barian either. Not everyone we meet is going to be.”

The four of them exit the tunnel and end up in a large chamber, where a statue of a horse stands front and center, and floating over the nose of the horse is a card-shaped bright light.

Yuma steps into the room and the light grows to the point that she has to close her eyes or risk being blinded. When she senses the light fade she opens her eyes and sees someone who looks like a medieval knight standing in front of her.

She gulps. “Wh-who are you?” She asks.

“I am Mach,” the person says. “I am the guardian of this ruin and its Number.”

“Yuma, be careful,” Rio says. “He’s a very powerful spirit.”

The guardian—Mach—raises his arm and a duel disk materializes. “If you want the Number, you must duel me for it and prove that you are worthy of it.”

Yuma nods. “Makes sense.” She sets up her own duel disk.

“Be warned,” Mach says, “This is a place of noble souls. If you fail this trial, I will take souls as payment.”

Yuma feels like she’s been doused with ice. “Wh-what?” She stammers.

Mach holds out a hand a blue orb materializes, showing Nash and Ryoga trapped in a small room.

“Their souls,” Mach says.

Yuma sways to one side and Astral tries to hold her up, but he has no physical form. “No,” Yuma whimpers. “No you can’t take their souls.”

“They have trespassed on this ground,” Mach says.

“Because of me!” Yuma shouts, tears in her eyes. “Please, if you have to take someone’s soul, take mine and not theirs!”

Kotori and Astral gasp, and Mach stares at her with a blank expression.

“You know what you are offering?” Mach asks. “You will never leave this place.”

“I would rather it be me agreeing to it than sacrificing my friends! They don’t have a choice!” Yuma says.

Mach smiles. “Then you must trust me that they will be okay.”

Yuma takes a deep breath and holds back the curses she wants to fling at this person. “Alright, I trust you.” She turns to Astral. “Do you trust me?”

Astral nods. “With all my heart.”

 

* * *

 

Door after door opens and Ryoga and Nash pass through them, never sure of what waits for them on the other side. Ryoga is on edge, unsure if he can trust the boy he’s been forced to share breathing space with. Finally they end up in a room with paintings on one wall. Ryoga squints at them, able to piece together a story from the pictures, but unable to read the inscriptions.

“What is this?” Ryoga muses.

“It goes like this,” Nash says.  _“Once there was a group of knights who protected their land. The leader of these knights was a brave Hero who rode a Pegasus, and he loved the steed as his dear friend. Together the Hero and his Pegasus lead the knights in defense of peace and prosperity.”_

“How can you read that?” Ryoga asks.

Nash ignores him.  _“One day the Hero and his Pegasus left the land for a brief time, and the other knights over threw the king. They were drunk on their newfound power, without their leader to guide them, and each began calling himself a worthy king.”_

A wall opens up and as if in a trance, Nash heads into the other room and continues reading.  _“Hearing of the rebellion, the Hero and his Pegasus returned home. The Hero tried to reason with his comrades and remind them of their oath, but the knights turned against their leader. The Hero couldn’t bear to strike his friends even though they continuously wounded him. The knights were prepared to kill the Hero, but the Pegasus threw himself before his master. The knights attacked the noble beast…”_  he stops. “And there’s nothing more.”

Ryoga questions how this ordinary boy could possibly read this writing, but he’s also kind of…sad. He can guess how it ends. If the story is true, that’s horrible. Yuma would cry, he thinks with a small smile—she cries every time an animal dies.

The ground suddenly starts shaking. Ryoga gasps and looks for an exit, but there is none.

“I know how it ends,” Nash says, as if in a trance. “The Hero was unable to leave his beloved friend. He laid his body over the wounded Pegasus, and they died together, laying down their lives rather than betray each other, or the people who had hurt them.”

The ground disappears from under Ryoga’s feet. He shouts, but Nash grabs him before he can fall.

Ryoga glares up at Nash. “You’re one of them, aren’t you? You’re a Barian!”

Nash grits his teeth. “Yes, I am!”

 

* * *

 

Rio and Kotori scream as Ryoga falls, but Yuma can’t look away from Mach. Things are starting to make sense.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” She asks. “You’re the Pegasus in the legend.”

Above Mach, Number 44, Sky Pegasus, tosses its head. Mach closes his eyes and bows his head. “You have seen me for what I am, Yuma.” He says. “Now, will you pay life points to protect your Hope, or sacrifice it?”

Tears fall on Yuma’s cheeks. Astral puts his hand on her shoulder. “Yuma, trust your heart,” he says.

She smiles. “I pay my life points.”

 

* * *

 

The Barian—Durbe, the one Ryoga dueled in Sargasso—hauls Ryoga up, and as soon as he’s on solid ground, Ryoga smacks the Barian’s hand away. He’s terrifying, and Ryoga shudders. It’s the lack of the mouth that throws him off.

“I knew Yuma shouldn’t have trusted you,” Ryoga spits. “Why reveal yourself now? Why did you save me?”

Durbe looks at his wrist. “On this planet I can only access my powers with the help of Baria crystal. It is a living entity, not a mere rock as you might think. My crystal was damaged when I collided with your ship, and it needed time to heal, which it has now done. As for why I saved you, it was to repay Yuma for saving me when I was hurt.”

“But now you’re even,” Ryoga says. “So what, you’ll attack her as soon as we’re out of here?”

Durbe turns away. “I don’t know.”

 

* * *

 

Mach’s life points drop to zero and Yuma takes off her D-Gazer. She walks towards the duel spirit, who smiles at her.

“The moment you offered yourself in place of your friends I knew you were worthy,” Mach says. “We had to go through the duel anyway, and I knew you would win.”

Yuma grins. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. But how is it that Durbe could read the legend on the temple walls? Is it because he’s a Barian?”

Mach shakes his head. “No, but alas though I know him, it seems he doesn’t know me.”

Behind Yuma, Kotori gasps. “It was Durbe that was the hero in the legend?!”

Mach doesn’t answer her. Instead, he gives a formal bow. “Yuma, Astral, it will be an honor to join your battle.”

Mach is enveloped in light, which condenses into the shape of a card. The card flies to Yuma, and she catches it. Number 44 rests in her hands.

Yuma looks up again and catches light glinting off of the pedestal where Mach’s statue once stood. She walks over and kneels to inspect the point of light, and she gasps. “It’s a King’s coin!” She says, scooping up the coin. “My dad would leave these at locations he found especially challenging.”

“So he was here, then,” Kotori says.

Yuma nods. “I wonder if he was at all these locations.”

A wall opens up and Yuma turns—Ryoga is standing in the opening, and Durbe is behind him.

Yuma runs to Ryoga and hugs him tightly. “I could see you,” she says. “Both of you, and I could hear you.” She lets go of Ryoga and looks at Durbe. He stares at her.

She gulps—her heart is racing and her whole body is shaking, but she walks up to him. “Thank you for pushing Ryoga away from the wall, and for telling me about the legend, even though you didn’t know you were telling me about it…” she gives herself a shake. She can’t tell if Durbe is annoyed, amused, or plotting to kill her. His face is so hard to read without a mouth. “Anyway, I want you to have this.” She holds out her hand, and he extends his own. She drops the coin into his palm. “My dad would leave these when he went places that challenged him. I hope I can challenge your perception of me, and of Astral.”

She sees shock in Durbe’s eyes. He nods, then a wormhole opens up behind him an disappears.

“He could have said ‘thank you,’” Rio mutters.

“It’s okay,” Yuma says. “He heard me, and that’s enough.” He used to be human, he had to be if there was a legend about him on Earth. More than that, he was a hero to humans. Maybe she can reach that part of him.

Ryoga takes Yuma’s hand. “We’d better get moving—now that we know the Barians are on to us, we’ve got to keep searching.”

Yuma nods. Saving the world is not a job for the weary.


	43. The Mad Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astral faces off against Numbers 96 and Yuma comes to a realization about Vector.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to the YGO [wiki](http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_ruins#Number_64.27s_Ruins) and [this](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/yugioh/images/a/ad/LegendaryNumbersMap.png/revision/latest?cb=20130614161958) map, 56’s ruins and Vector’s castle are located on an island between Australia and Africa. That geography, however, does not match with what we saw Vector’s culture was like. Those islands were primarily inhabited by Polynesians and Aboriginals, among others, which Vector those three are probably not. So I am switching things up. I am placing Nasch and Marin in Crete, and I am locating Vector’s kingdom in the area of Croatia and Bosnia. Not getting into specifics because eeeeeehhh I don’t know much about that history and even though I don’t get a lot of comments from people I don’t know already, I don’t want to start fights.

**“I know where the Number is,”**  Don Thousand hisses in Vector’s head.  **“I saw its location while I searched deep through your memories.”**

“My memories?” Vector asks. There’s so many directions he can go with that—first of all, how could he know where the card was if he’d never heard of it before? Second of all…

 _‘Creepy,’_  a voice sounding an awful lot like Yuma’s says. Vector shakes that off—he shouldn’t have Yuma’s voice in his head.

“ **It matters not** ,” the God says. “ **Focus on the job at hand**.”

Vector rolls his eyes. He exits the worm hole in his human form. He finds Number 96 controlling a human man and sweet talks the spirit into joining forces with him. He’s not afraid to give 96 a little power, for he has much more. To think that Yuma was afraid of 96—the Number seems quite easy to handle.

The two (or rather three, including the God sharing Vector’s headspace) of them travel to the location of the ruins. The castle has a European flair to it, or what’s left of it at least. Half the castle remains standing, and if Vector were human he would fear for the stability of it. He blows the front door open and 96 breezes in. Vector makes to follow, but as soon as he puts one foot in the threshold, a sensation unlike anything he’s ever felt takes hold of him.

Vector freezes. Every hair on his body stands on end, his breath freezes in his lungs, and every cell in this human body of his screams at him to  _flee, as far and as fast and as desperately as he can—_

“Scared of the dark?” 96 calls.

Vector snaps out of his stupor. He steps into the castle and follows 96, trying to remain outwardly calm while his thoughts spin out of control.

“This place is delicious,” 96 coos, “Full of suffering human spirits.” He laughs, “Humans build history atop history, ignoring the ghosts buried below them.”

Vector doesn’t respond, but when they arrive at a branch of tunnels and 96 asks where they should go, his body moves without his brain telling it to, going to a tunnel that leads to a secret room.

“Have you been here before?” 96 asks.

Vector shrugs. “How should I know? I don’t remember all the centuries,” he says vaguely. His palms are starting to sweat. He hopes they leave soon.

 

* * *

 

“KATTOBINGU!” Yuma hoots at the airship rocks and she careens from side-to-side on her board. She skids up the walls of the ship, across railings, and into solid objects that will certainly give her bruises.

“I wish you would sit down,” Kotori sighs.

“Then I would miss all the fun!” Yuma shouts. Thank god she remembered her helmet.

When the airship lands, Yuma leaps out battered and bruised but feeling renewed. Her adrenaline is pumping and she feels ready to take on the world.

The ruins of a palace rise above the tree line, jagged and crumbing, half of it gone. But the damage itself is…creepy. The walls look like a hand has come down from the sky and torn chunks from the old palace. As they jump over a stone bridge that’s still standing even though the middle part of it has collapsed, Yuma half expects to be confronted by Sir Didimus, or hear David Bowie’s voice calling out to her from the woods,  _Turn back before it’s too late._

As they emerge from the woods and onto the grounds of the palace, Rio freezes and a shudder runs visibly through her body.

“I don’t think we should go in there,” she blurts.

“We have to,” Astral says. “The Number is in there.”

Yuma glares at him. “Hang on, let’s hear her out,” she says. She puts her hand on Rio’s arm. “What’s up?”

Rio hugs herself, rubbing her arms. “This place…it’s full of bad energy. Ever since I came out of my coma, I’ve been kind of…sensitive, around old buildings, and…graveyards. And this place, it…it feels like a graveyard but worse. It’s like a…battlefield. Like it’s full of dead people and all of them died horrible, painful deaths.”

Kotori backs away quickly.

Yuma’s not sure she believes in ghosts, but she certainly believes in old areas that are brimming with the energy of those who once lived there. It’s something her dad believed in, too. He said that before a dig, he would learn local culture and call a traditional practitioner to come and tell the spirits that he meant no harm. He said that sometimes he felt things that were out of place, like it wasn’t what he was feeling, but the emotions of others invading his head. He said he had never felt anything unpleasant—clearly Rio was having a much different experience.

“You don’t have to go in,” Yuma and Ryoga says together.

But Rio shakes her head. She turns on her phone flashlight and walks into the palace, heading for a staircase that goes down to the depths of the ruins. Yuma, Ryoga, and Kotori follow. The walls are covered in paintings and old writings that Yuma can’t read.

Rio stops a few steps down. She lays her hand on the wall and inhales deeply. “What happened to you?” She murmurs.

Yuma sits on a step. “I think we can try a séance of sorts,” she says.

“Séance?” Astral echoes.

Yuma looks at Kotori. “You don’t have to,” she says.

But Kotori sits, as do Ryoga and Rio. It’s awkward, being on stairs and at different heights, but they make it work. Yuma digs through her backpack and grabs a candle and lighter. She lights the candle, they all join hands and Yuma closes her eyes.

“If anyone is with us, please make your presence known,” She says.

At once a chill passes through the tiny space and the candle goes out.

“Okay then,” Yuma says.

Kotori is shaking and she has tears in her eyes.

“Please don’t scare my friend,” Yuma asks sternly.

The chill fades.

“Thank you.”

The candle relights. Kotori squeaks.

“I can hear them,” Rio says. “They want me to tell the story of these ruins.”

Yuma nods. “If you feel comfortable with that.”

Rio closes her eyes, takes another deep breath, and her face goes perfectly blank. She speaks in a monotone _. “The Prince who ruled these lands called this palace home. He was young and naïve, and he had no faith in those around him. Unto anyone he doubted he cast his judgement. Countless executions were performed at his bequest, until finally everyone who once lived in this land had fled or was killed. Realizing what he had done, he was consumed with madness, and cut his own life short. That is the story of this cursed palace.”_

Rio gasps and opens her eyes, slumping over. Ryoga catches her before she can tumble down the steps. The circle of their hands is broken, and the candle goes out once more. Kotori covers her face and sobs.

“I’m going back to the ship with Kotori,” Rio announces.

Yuma nods. “Yes, and while you’re at it, call Kite and tell him about what’s been going on. I’ve got a feeling we’re in over our heads.”

“Should we have him come here?” Rio asks as she stands and takes Kotori’s hand.

Yuma shakes her head. “Nah, don’t tell him to do anything. We’ll see what happens.”

Rio nods. She and Kotori go back up the stairs, and Yuma and Ryoga continue down.

 

* * *

 

While 96 battles the duel spirit, Vector clutches his chest and staggers into the ancient throne overlooking the execution arena. Whatever Don Thousand did to him is excruciating, on top of the pain he feels seemingly from just being in this damn palace. But the throne is a good place to be, it gives him an excellent view of the arena.

96 absorbs the Number and turns to Vector. “Those pesky humans and my weaker self are here,” he says.

Vector grits his teeth. “I’ll have them fall into a trap so we can make our escaepe.”

“No,” 96 says. “You will trap them, but I will duel Astral and defeat him. Then his body will be mine.”

 _‘Gross,’_  Yuma’s voice says in Vector’s head. Vector hates the inside of his head.

“And we can use that girl as bait,” 96 continues.

“No,” Vector growls. “Yuma will remain trapped, and physically unharmed.”

“I didn’t know you cared for her,” 96 scoffs.

“I want to duel her myself!” Vector shrieks, pounding his fists on the arms of the throne. “Besides that, if Astral dies, Yuma will suffer and it will be fun to watch!”

96 concedes, and Vector falls back against the throne to wait. In truth, he doesn’t want Yuma loose in this palace while he’s in it. He can take her on any other time in any other place, but not here, not when this place makes him feel so physically ill.

Oh, and not in Sargasso. He’ll never send her there again.

By the time Yuma, Astral and Ryoga fall into one of the Palace’s traps, Vector has recovered his wits enough to taunt the three of them. “You’re too late, Yuma-chan,” he says. “The Number’s been taken.”

Yuma reaches her hands through the bars of the jail and claws at the air. “I’ll duel you for it!” She screams.

Vector shakes his head. “No, it’s Astral we want.”

“We?!” Yuma cries.

96 makes his appearance, and Vector is just glad that Yuma’s attention is directed elsewhere. He draws his legs up on to the throne and sits on his feet. He doesn’t want to look at Yuma, but he can’t help it. He’ll never admit it out loud, but that frail human child…frightened him in Sargasso. The things she said to him, the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice…it was one he recognized, so he knew she meant every word. When Sargasso took hold of her and changed her, changed Zexal, then Vector knew it had been a mistake to bring her there. Again, one he would never admit to.

Yuma was a monster, just like he was, and that terrified him. Vector was used to being the scary one, the one who wanted spilled blood and crushed bones and suffering. To see someone else who wanted it, wanted it of  _him,_  that was new.

96 summons Number 65 and Vector hugs his knees. “Why does that Number make me feel so weird?” He mutters to himself.

96 taunts Astral. “How can you think yourself worth of anything? You’re weak, you’ll never be able to absorb Chaos Numbers without me. You need my power.”

“BULLSHIT!” Yuma screams.

Vector reaches for a chain next to him and tugs on it. A giant boulder descends from a tunnel and crushes a nearby pillar, sending debris flying. Yuma yelps and scurries back.

“Keep your mouth shut,” Vector tells her, “Or I’ll destroy this temple with you three in it.”

96 laughs and gives Vector a smirk. “It really is like you’ve been here before.”

 

* * *

 

Those words send a shock through Yuma. Still clutching the bars holding her back, she falls to her knees. She thought it had been a fluke, that Durbe had been the Hero in Mach’s legend, but if 96 thinks Vector has been here, in this palace before…is it possible that Vector is connected to this legend?

96 attacks Astral. Vector rocks back and forth on the throne, giggling viciously. He looks crazed, he looks horrified, he looks confused…

Astral starts fighting back. 96 is panicked. Yuma’s whole focus has zoomed in on Vector. Sitting on that throne like he belongs there.

“The young prince had no faith in those around him…” Yuma murmurs to herself. “He cast his judgement and killed with abandon, until in the end he killed himself.”

Across the room, Vector stares into Yuma’s eyes.

“It was you,” she whispers.

96 and Astral’s duel ends in a draw. Vector vanishes into a wormhole, 96 behind him.

“Fuck,” Ryoga hisses. “How are we supposed to get out of here?”

Yuma is in too much shock to think of anything, but she doesn’t have to. Kite decided to get himself involved in the nonsense after all, and he shows up with Orbital strapped to his back, to cut the bars on the jails and fly them out of the building. Yuma is silent the entire time. Vector is a piece of work, but he’s young in his human form. Was he that young when he died? Does he really remember the palace? Or does he remember nothing, like Durbe? And if Durbe and Vector are connected to the ruins, are all the Barian Emperors connected to them? But Vector told her there were five Barian Emperors and there are seven ruins…she could be wrong, then. Or maybe Vector lied to her about how many emperors there were.

“What’s the matter with you?” Kite asks as he and Orbital drop Yuma and Ryoga outside the ruins.

“She just faced Vector,” Ryoga says.

“Vector?!” Rio shouts. Yuma jumps—Rio and Kotori are running to her. She holds out her arms and they both hug her.

“He was there, with 96,” Yuma mutters. “Astral dueled and…and 96 got the Number.”

Rio strokes Yuma’s hair. “You poor thing,” she says. “I can’t believe those two are working together.”

Ryoga fills Kite in on what’s been happening, and Kite says that he wants in on the hunt.

“You okay to keep going?” Ryoga asks Yuma.

She nods. She has to be okay with it. With Ryoga holding her hand and Rio and Kotori leading the way, their party heads back to the airship. They take off with Ryoga steering them to the next location, and Yuma finally gathers her wits and approaches Rio.

“Hey, Rio?” She says softly.

Rio turns to her. “Yeah?”

“The Prince in the legend,” Yuma says slowly, “Why do you think he killed himself, in the end?”

Rio blinks at her.

“I mean, do you think he was sorry?” Yuma asks, “Or do you think he was just…that crazy? Sorry, crazy is the wrong word. Mentally unstable. That had to have been it, right? No stable person would order everyone in their entire kingdom to be killed.”

Rio nods. “I mean, I guess we can never truly know. Historians and doctors have diagnosed conquerors and tyrants with mental instabilities before, but we never can really know.”

Yuma nods. “Which is more depressing though, the thought of him being that untrusting, or the thought of him being that insane?”

Rio shrugs. “He was young, the spirits said that much. I don’t think he lived to be older than twenty.”

The last person Yuma wants to have pity for is Vector, and she doesn’t want to have pity for a murderer either, especially not if her theory is correct and those two are the same person.

But she thinks of a young prince, suffering from something invisible, unable to trust anyone, lashing out at everything. He must have been terrified, he must have felt so alone, until finally he couldn’t even trust himself…

There had to be a reason. She thinks it over and over. There  _had_  to have been a  _reason._


	44. Heart of a Champion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma faces off against Alit and Gauche at the next set of ruins.

“Surprise!” Vector crows, throwing his arms out as Alit and Gilag appear beside him. Mizael and Durbe gasp.

“How is this possible?” Mizael demands. “You were drained, surely you should have needed to rest for much longer!”

Alit scoffs. “We couldn’t stand how pathetic you lot were being in your quest for the Numbers.”

Mizael growls, and Vector holds up a hand. “Enough of that, I have more news. I found a third Number, located in Spartan City. Yuma and company should be headed there now.”

“And I will go defeat that wench,” Alit vows. “I have a bone to pick with her.”

 

* * *

 

Spartan City is certainly livelier than the other two ruins, but that’s not unusual for this area—Italy doesn’t have a lot of living space, and ancient buildings are surrounded by modern amenities. Yuma squints at an arena in the distance, unable to tell from this far away if it’s made to look old or if it’s actually an ancient building being used in a modern way.

Yuma and Ryoga are filthy after their stint in the torture chamber, and Kotori and Rio have never been the type to turn down a shopping trip, so the first stop is a boutique to pick out some fresh clothes. Kotori purchases white shorts and a pink top, Rio chooses a blue skirt and blue and white striped blouse, Ryoga chooses to be boring and simply gets a new white shirt to wear with his uniform pants, and Yuma buys blue jeans and a black crop tank top.

“You look out of place,” Yuma teases Kite as they walk down the street. “Like you’re wearing a costume.”

“Maybe not that out of place,” Kotori says, pointing at a screen above a shop. The screen shows an ad for a duel tournament, the participating duelists wearing elaborate costumes. Yuma does a double take and lets out a shriek.

“It’s him!” She hollers, “Gauche!”

But the screen names him ‘Gauche the Starman.’

“This is great!” Yuma hoots, “Oh my god, we gotta go watch this!”

They buy tickets to the duel, which takes place in the arena Yuma was looking at earlier. She opens a translation app on her phone so they can all follow what the announcer says about the duel. Apparently, Gauche is a mysterious duelist who fell into the city like a shooting star, and he is popular among young children. He easily wins his duel, and Yuma can hear the cheers of little kids as Gauche takes an elaborate bow. The announcer tells everyone that tomorrow, Gauche will duel for the championship title.

The group head downstairs where Gauche is signing autographs, and find him surrounded by little kids. Droite is standing next to them, and they’re pleasantly surprised to see the five of them. Gauche invites them into his dressing room for a chat.

“I was wondering if you kids would ever come chasing after me,” Gauche says with a chuckle.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Yuma teases, “We just happened to be in the area.” She smiles. “Congrats on turning pro. What made you come here, though?”

“Just wanted a fresh start,” Gauche says. “And this place kind of spoke to us. It’s beautiful—warm weather, close to the ocean, surrounded by history.”

“And a booming pro duelist industry,” Droite adds.

“So are you pro too?” Rio asks her.

“No way,” Droite says. “I’m managing this guy. Someone has to, after all.”

“You’re doing more than just managing,” Yuma says with a wink. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

Droite and Gauche blush, and Kite gapes at Yuma. “What engagement?” He asks.

Yuma thumps him upside the head. “Are you blind, not to notice the honking rock on her finger?”

Droite holds out her hand and shows off the heart-shaped ruby.

“I’m surprised it’s not a star,” Yuma says, looking over Gauche’s costume. “What’s up with that?”

Gauche gets a far-off look in his eyes. “When Droite and I were kids, we didn’t live in the best place. The best things we had were the cards we could scrounge, and the stars in the sky. I always wanted to turn Pro, and I always wanted to be the hero I wished I’d had growing up. You know kids, they think shooting stars grant wishes. So that’s where that came from.” He rubs his head and looks sheepish. “Ah, maybe it’s cheesy…”

“It’s not,” Yuma and Kite say together.

Yuma looks surprised at Kite, but he smiles at Gauche. “I wish you luck tomorrow, but I don’t think you need it. You’re a great duelist and I’m sure you’ll be brilliant. I’ll bring Hart to watch your duels someday soon. He would love it.”

Gauche is thrilled by the idea, and Droite suggests that they continue the conversation over dinner. They offer to treat the group to a meal at the restaurant in their hotel. Yuma waits until dessert is served before getting down to business.

“I know this city is full of ruins,” she says, “But we’re looking for one ruin in particular. No clue what it looks like, but it will likely have some kind of tragic legend surrounding it, one where someone dies.”

She can’t believe it, but right away the two of them nod and say, “The coliseum.”

“The one you dueled in?” Yuma asks.

Droite shakes her head. “No, that one is new. The coliseum you’re looking for is supposedly haunted by a gladiator who died there. The legend says that the Prince of the country was an esteemed fighter, who took on warriors in the coliseum, battling where his people could watch and know that their future leader was a hero. One gladiator in particular was considered the Prince’s equal, and they battled many times, with neither out matching the other. The Prince and this gladiator became friends, despite their difference in status.” Droite gives Yuma a meaningful look. “The Prince’s advisors feared that this lower class equal would make the Prince appear weak, so they framed the gladiator for a crime against the crown. Though the Prince pleaded the gladiator’s innocence, it did no good. The gladiator was executed in the very coliseum he had battled in.”

Kotori gasps and tears fill her eyes.

Gauche continues, “The gladiator’s soul was trapped in the coliseum. Some say it was due to the unfairness of his death. I say it’s because he never got that final battle against his rival.”

 _Rival,_  Yuma scoffs to herself. She got Droite’s meaning—the gladiator and the Prince were probably lovers. Damn heteros and their history rewrites.

“So where’s the coliseum now?” She asks.

Droite points out the window. “Under that lake.”

Yuma whirls around and stares at the perfectly circular lake in the middle of a forest. “Don’t tell me that’s man made?!”

“Yup,” Gauche says. “The old people created that lake to trap the gladiator’s spirit.”

“Of all the indignities!” Yuma cries. “Ugh, archeological treasures lost forever because of superstition!”

“Not to mention the Numbers card,” Astral says crossly, popping up at Yuma’s shoulder. She almost snaps at him that history is way more important, but then again the fate of the world rests with those cards.

“Well, I guess we’ll go down there tomorrow,” Yuma concedes. “It’s almost dark, no point in stumbling blindly through the woods.”

“By the way, shouldn’t you kids be in school today?” Droite asks, “How did you get here?”

All five of them start stammering excuses and quickly leave to secure rooms in the hotel while Gauche laughs at them.

The weight of what they’ve done in the past few hours crashes down on all of them, and as soon as they get their rooms they say goodnight and go to sleep. Yuma falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.

She doesn’t stay asleep long—she wakes up in the middle of the night to Astral yelling her name. “Quick, get up!” He urges, “Something is happening at the ruins.”

Yuma rushes to the window—Ryoga, Kite, and Rio are standing on the deck. She runs out in her pajamas and squints at the dark forest. “What’s happening?”

Kite hands her a pair of binoculars. “The lake’s been drained.”

Yuma looks through the binoculars—night vision, where did Kite pull these out from?—and sees that it’s true. “Barians,” she hisses. “They’re on to us!”

The door to the balcony slides open again and Droite rushes out, also in her nightgown, with Kotori on her heels. “Guys, Gauche has gone missing!”

Yuma feels the blood drain from her face. Barians can control people’s minds, is it possible that one of them took Gauche hostage? “We’ve got to get to the lake,” she says.

Droite drives them all to the ruins. She’s quiet, but Yuma can tell she’s worried about Gauche. Yuma holds Ryoga’s hand tightly, unable to keep herself from imagining how she would feel if he went missing in the middle of the night. Whichever Barian did this, she’s going to beat their ass.

 

* * *

 

Alit walks through the tunnels leading to the arena. The walls are painted with scenes of a Gladiator who battled a Prince, was arrested, and then cruelly executed. He shudders, and not from the cold or the water that drips down on him. This place is spooky, but oddly familiar. It’s downright unsettling.

But that feeling disappears when he finds the Number. After a battle of wits against the ferocious spirit of the Number, Alit emerges victorious. But upon closer inspection of the card, he finds that the effect of the Number is much too dangerous for him.

“Hey!” A voice calls. “Who are you?”

Alit grins. This must be his lucky night.

 

* * *

 

Yuma runs ahead of the others through the tunnels, bypassing the paintings and writings. She knows this ruin’s story, and if her hunch is right about the Barians being connected to these ruins, she’s got a 50-50 guess as to who is waiting for her.

She emerges in the battle arena. Gauche stands several feet away from her, and between the two of them is Alit.

“I knew it,” Yuma gasps.

Astral materializes by her side. “Yuma, something is off…”

“No duh,” Yuma says, “Gauche has a Barian symbol on his head. Alit, what have you done?!”

Alit turns slowly and gives her a smirk. “I’ve ensured my victory. This guy is going to control this ruins’ Number for me. It carries a hefty penalty you see, a risk I can’t take. After all, I have to make sure I survive so I can be the one to pay you back.”

“Pay me back for what?!” Yuma demands.

“For beating me and humiliating me!” Alit shouts.

“All for the Barian world,” Gauche says in a monotone.

The rest of the entourage emerges from the tunnels and Alit’s smirk grows. “Oh look, now we have enough for a tag duel.” He activates his duel disk. “What do you say, Yuma? I bet your pretty friend would love to join you.”

“Be more specific,” Yuma says. Her first thought was Rio or Kotori, but Ryoga is kind of pretty too.

“I assume he means me,” Droite says dryly. She steps forward and activates her duel disk. “What’s all this about a Barian symbol, Yuma? I thought the Barian was destroyed when you dueled Faker.”

“I am Alit,” Alit tells her, “And I was not destroyed, nor was I involved with anyone named Faker. I am one of the seven Emperors of Barian world.”

Yuma sways on her feet. “D-did you say there are seven of you?!” She yelps, “Vector only told me the names of five!” Seven Emperors, seven ruins, she was right!

Alit scoffs. “Are you surprised that Vector lied to you? Or are you surprised that you fell for it, like you fell for the rest of his lies?”

Yuma growls and takes a step forward, but Droite puts out an arm to stop her. “We’re dueling with cards, not fists,” she reminds Yuma. “We’ll get Gauche back and stop this guy, don’t you worry.”

Yuma has doubts. After all, Droite couldn’t last against Tron, and the Barians are much deadlier. Still, she loves Gauche, and love conquers all. So Yuma activates her duel disk as well, and the duel is on.

Gauche goes first, and Yuma hates the blank look on his face.

“Yuma, try smiling a little,” Alit says. “Didn’t you say you wanted to duel me again? So what if this useless guy and that girl are involved, isn’t it just what you wanted?”

Yuma sees red. Useless?! How dare he!

“Yuma, calm down,” Astral says calmly. “Don’t let your anger effect how you duel.”

Well, at least he didn’t tell her to be angry at all. Yuma summons Hope and stares Alit down the entire time. “This duel doesn’t count,” she says, “Because you’re not the Alit I know.”

Alit chuckles. “No? then who am I?”

Yuma sets a card. “Right now? You act a lot like Vector.”

That gets Alit pissed. “This duel will go on until one team is completely crushed!” He vows as he starts his turn.

As he and Droite take their turns, Yuma studies Alit. She thinks she’s on to something, and Alit truly isn’t himself—he’s too different from last time. Sure, Vector was a great actor too, but Alit was different, he truly wanted nothing more than a fair fight. He even stopped Gilag from going after Yuma with brainwashed duelists, so for him to do it now…and if Alit truly is the gladiator from the legend, his behavior makes even less sense.

Gauche starts his turn again, summoning the Number from the ruin—Number 54, Lion Heart. And now Yuma sees why Alit isn’t dueling with it himself.

“Lion Heart cannot be destroyed by battle,” Gauche intones as he orders the 100-attack power monster to attack Hope, “And any battle damage I would take involving Lion Heart is also inflicted to my opponent.”

So Yuma and Gauche both take 2,400 points of damage.

After the attack hits her, Yuma struggles to her feet and snarls at Alit. “You fucking coward,” she hisses. “Too afraid to use the power of this card yourself? You’re pathetic.”

“I will do anything to beat you!” Alit snarls back.

“Including sacrifice your own dignity it would seem,” Yuma says viciously. “Coward. Lily livered. You disgust me you dishonorable slug!”

Alit screams at her, “DON’T YOU DARE QUESTION MY HONOR!”

“I CALLS IT LIKE I SEES IT!” Yuma screams back.

The coliseum is suddenly illuminated by blue light. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of blue flames flicker to life in the seats of the coliseum.

“What is this?” Droite asks.

Rio turns in circles. “This was a place where people gathered for excitement. Their energy left an imprint on this place.”

“Ghosts?!” Kotori yelps.

“Not exactly,” Rio says. “More like…footprints.”

“Residual hauntings,” Yuma says.

“I end my turn,” Gauche intones.

And when Yuma tries to attack Alit, he switches the attack to Number 54. It could be the end for Yuma and Gauche, but Droite saves Yuma. Gauche seems knocked out of the duel, but Alit sacrifices an overlay unit to give him 100 life points back.

“So that’s how the game is going to go,” Yuma pants. She’s already down to 400 life points and she hasn’t landed a single attack successfully. Why did she get involved in this?

Alit tries to take her out again using Gauche and Number 54, but once again Droite saves her using a trap of her own, and she redirects the attack to herself. It sends her to the floor, and she straightens up with a brave face. On her turn, she summons her most powerful XYZ monster, and she calls Gauche out.

“Do you think you can be a hero to children like this?” Droite scowls at Gauche. “Dueling me with those half-dead eyes, allowing yourself to be controlled like this? I’m disappointed in you.”

“Idiot,” Alit taunts, “You can’t get to him with mere words.”

“You stay out of this,” Droite snaps at him. She turns back to Gauche. “I have nothing in my deck or hand that can protect me anymore, so I’ll come at you with everything I have. If you can’t snap out of this for the kids who look up to you, or for me, even though I know you love me with all your heart…then maybe you’ll snap out of it for your own child!”

Yuma’s jaw drops. Rio gasps. Droite’s monster’s attack points increase, and Droite screams, “What kind of example are you setting for the baby?!”

The damage hits Gauche and Droite.

“No!” Yuma screams, running at Droite and throwing her body between the mother-to-be and the bolt of lightning that shoots at her. She manages to shield Droite from the majority of the damage, and she prays that it’s enough. Droite’s life points drop to zero, and her knees give out.

“Oh god!” Yuma cries, her heart pounding erratically, “Why didn’t you tell me?! I never would have let you, oh god, someone do something!”

“Hush,” Droite tells her, “I’m just a little dizzy. Quit shouting in my face. Now you have my monster, finish this duel for me.”

Yuma manages to smile. “Oh Droite, I’ll finish this for you, I promise.”

She turns back to her opponents. Alit scoffs. “All that and for nothing. She can’t break my hold. Gauche, finish this.”

But Gauche lifts his head, and Yuma barely holds herself back from her joy. Gauche keeps his face blank, but his eyes are clear. He’s back.

Gauche stops dueling the way Alit wants him to, and duels the way Yuma knows is his own. And because of that, she’s able to dodge Alit’s dirty tricks, and pull off some truly amazing tricks with effects and trap cards. Alit is defeated.

As his life points drop, Alit lets out a cry of pain, which turns to one of fear. As the glow in the stands fades, Alit’s face shows a look of horror and confusion. Yuma hears him ask, “What are these memories?” Before he disappears into a wormhole.

Gauche races across the field to Droite. “Love, are you okay?” He asks desperately.

Droite nods. “Yes, I think so.”

Gauche looks partially horrified, partially hopeful. “I can’t believe I allowed myself to be controlled like that.”

Droite places her hands on his face, “But you came back to me on your own.”

Yuma can see Gauche’s hands shaking. “Is it…true? Are you really…are we really going to…?”

“Have a baby?” Droite finishes, blushing slightly. “I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you, to celebrate your victory, but yes, it’s true.”

Gauche lets out a whoop that echoes around the coliseum and is even louder than the one Yuma lets out. Gauche sweeps Droite up in his arms and spins her around.

“We’re having a baby!” Gauche crows.

“They’re having a baby!” Yuma cheers.

Kite gapes at them. “How?!” He mutters.

“Well you see,” Ryoga begins, “When a man and a woman love—”

Kite puts Ryoga in a headlock. “I know that, you idiot!” He screams.

Yuma can’t help but laugh hysterically.

Before they leave the coliseum, Yuma finds the King’s coin and gives it to Droite and Gauche. “Tell your kid about this someday,” She tells them.

Gauche nods and hands Yuma the Number. “We will, and so will you,” he says, giving Droite a smile. “After all, you’ll be our baby’s aunt.”

 

* * *

 

They stick around to watch Gauche win his duel and become the new champion duelist of Spartan City, just like they knew he would. He calls all the kids up onto the stage with him and poses for pictures with them, Droite standing by his side.

“They’re so young,” Kite says. “Droite’s barely 22.”

“They’ll be okay,” Yuma says. “Look at them, what kid could ask for a better family?”

Now she’s just got to make sure that the world stays the way it long enough for them to have that chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am changing things up in this story! Were you surprised by Droite's announcement?


	45. Will of a Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s unlike you to be nervous,” Ryoga says.  
> “Don’t get jealous, it’s not for Kite,” Yuma says, looking around. “I’m waiting for Mizael to show up.”

As they make their way to the next set of ruins, Yuma finally shares her theory about the connection between the Barians and the ruins.

She paces across the deck of the airship. “Durbe knew the legend of the first ruin. Vector has some kind of madness just like the Prince in the second legend, and he knew the palace, even 96 said so. Alit is a fighter, just like the gladiator in the third ruin. And thanks to Alit, we now know that there are seven Barian emperors, just like there are seven Numbers and seven locations we have to search.” She stops pacing and looks over her friends. “I doubt it’s a coincidence. I think a Barian emperor is tied to each ruin.”

Ryoga frowns. “For that to be true, they would need to be human.”

Yuma nods. “I believe they were.”

“That seems far-fetched,” Kite says.

“Does it?” Yuma fires back. “They take on human form, we’ve all seen it. What other being do you know of that lives on a distant planet but can look like us?” She nods at Astral. “Astral is human-like, but he doesn’t change his appearance at will.”

Rio looks thoughtful. “But if they were human, they don’t seem to remember it.”

“That’s the other thing,” Yuma says, resuming her pacing, “If I’m correct, I would say we’re dealing with reincarnation. There’s something huge at play here, bigger than us, bigger than Earth, bigger than modern science. Most of what we’ve seen can’t be explained. Like this ship! Who can say how it got here? Reincarnation isn’t that far off. I propose that in the past, there was some dark force at play, which took brave humans and gathered them on a distant planet to become rulers. Rulers who then became obsessed with destroying Astral world. Perhaps we’re dealing not just with Barian emperors, but something that they themselves fear and answer to. After all, every civilization that has ever existed has something a step up from kings.”

“That would be gods,” Ryoga says. “Are suggesting a god is at work here?”

Yuma stops pacing. “I’m suggesting that there’s got to be a bigger picture,” she says. “It’s never what it seems to be on the surface, not where the Numbers are concerned. I’m not here to debate the existence of god either, but I think the Barians  _believe_  that they are answering to one.”

“It’s a theory,” Kite says. “Far-fetched, but then again…I have to agree with Yuma, most of what we’ve seen is unbelievable.”

“There is another theory I have,” Yuma continues, “Less far-fetched, though. I think the ruins and legends around them have a theme—betrayal, followed by violent death. The Hero, Dumon, was betrayed by his fellow knights and killed. The mad Prince, Vector, betrayed his people and killed himself. The Gladiator, Alit, was betrayed by the Prince’s men and executed publicly. So I don’t think we’ll be encountering many pleasant things at the next ruins.”

But the trouble starts before they’ve even landed—the ship exits the wormhole and they find themselves in the middle of Shílín, the stone forest in China. It is not easy to navigate the stone spires stretching from the ground, and it’s made more difficult when the ship’s steering mechanism stops responding.

“Orbital, get us down!” Kite screams. “Anywhere will do!”

So Orbital drops them at the base of a tall spire…and then tells them the ruins are most likely located on top of it—the top they can’t even see through the low-hanging clouds.

“Can’t Orbital fly us up there?” Kotori asks, peering up at the top.

But Orbital’s body is smoking—the robot is going to be of no help to them.

Yuma digs through her bag and pulls out rope, gloves, and climbing hooks. “Explorers must always come prepared!” She says with a grin.

Rio bails out at once, and Kotori follows suit. So Yuma hooks Kite and Ryoga up to the climbing ropes, tells the boys to follow her lead, and starts up the cliff.

“I’ve always wanted to come to this spot,” Yuma yammers as she climbs. “Of course I thought I would be much more prepared, and, well it was something dad and I had talked about doing, so I thought I would be with him. I also thought I would be older than this. I certainly never imagined a glowing alien would accompany me, much less you two. Actually Kite I didn’t even know you existed while I was thinking about this trip so hey, ain’t life funny like that.”

“Yuma!” Kite and Ryoga scream.

A bunch of rocks come tumbling down the cliff.

“Press tight to the wall!!” Yuma screams.

The rocks tumble past, and Yuma feels a few bump her. She looks up towards the top of a cliff, and hears a low rumble.

“What in Kaiba Corporation was that?” she wonders.

Astral appears over her shoulder. “It sounded like the cry of a dragon,” he says.

Yuma scoffs. “And how would you know what a dragon sounds like?”

“Galaxy Eyes!” Kite shouts.

“Well, yeah,” Yuma says, “I guess, but Galaxy Eyes is a hologram…”

“No, look!” Kite snaps.

Yuma looks down—he has the card out and it’s glowing. She looks back up to the top of the cliff. Dragons…

“Oh, fuck me sideways!” Yuma snaps as she goes back to climbing. “I better not find Mizael waiting for us up there!”

When they get to the top of the spire they find not Mizael, but a giant gate, the door of which opens without them touching it. As they walk through the gate they see a palace that looks much like the Forbidden City in Beijing, and dragon motifs everywhere—on the pillars, on the roof gables, and on the floors.

“Watch out,” Yuma mutters to Ryoga, “Kite might try to steal this stuff.”

“WHO IS TALKING ABOUT STEALING?!” A voice booms.

Yuma yelps and whirls around to find a little old man standing at a distant building. Like something out of a CGI kung-fu movie, the man leaps and lands right in front of them.

“It was a joke,” Yuma squeaks, but the man isn’t looking at her.

“You,” he says to Kite, “Are you a dragon user?”

“Yes,” Kite says. “And I sense a strange energy from you.”

Two glowing dragons rise, one each from Kite and the old man, and proceed to roar loud enough to shake the ground.

“You have a fighting spirit just like him,” the old man chuckles as the dragons fade. “My name is Jinlong, and I am the guardian of the Number.”

“Who did you compare me to?” Kite asks.

Jinlong folds his hands in front of himself. “The legend of this ruin says that there was once a man who had the spirit of a dragon, and the dragons fought beside him.”

“Was that man’s name Mizael?” Astral asks.

Jinlong looks at him. “Oh? You know the legend?”

Astral shakes his head and looks at Yuma. “You were right.”

And if she was right, then that means that Durbe was a knight who was killed by his men, Vector was a mad prince who ordered thousands killed and then killed himself, and Alit was most likely in love with a prince and was executed for it. Yuma sways on her feet, feeling faint for the umpteenth time this weekend.

“Yuma, let me duel this man,” Kite says. “Destiny lead me here…my destiny as a dragon user.”

Yuma snaps to attention. “Fuck off, it was a phone call from Rio and Kotori!” She snaps. “You can duel him, but don’t get fucking pretentious over it.”

Kite doesn’t answer her, but instead engages his Sailor Moon change mode. Jinlong summons a duel disk from thin air, and the two begin their battle.

Yuma sighs and looks at Astral and Ryoga. “Do we have to watch Kite live out his wet dream, or can we go find a wall to make out against?”

Ryoga sputters, and Astral asks, “What’s a wet dream?”

Jinlong summons the ruin’s Number, 46—an enormous, ivory dragon. “That’s a wet dream,” Yuma says, awed.

“So much power,” Kite mutters. He glares at Jinlong. “So that’s your dragon? Show me it’s power!”

Yuma’s awe fades and she almost falls over. “That’s a fetish,” she says. Over Ryoga’s shocked cry she shouts at Kite, “QUIT ADDRESSING THE OLD MAN AS ‘KISAMA’ YOU RUDE ASS!”

Jinlong makes the Number untouchable, and the only other monster on his field untouchable as well.

Kite summons Galaxy Eyes, probably planning to use its monster effect, but apparently Number 46 can negate dragon-type monster effects on the opponent’s field.

Ryoga and Astral gasp, but Yuma isn’t surprised. If this is meant to be a test for a dragon user, Kite probably saw this coming. He breaks through part of Jinlong’s defense and destroys his weaker monster.

“A passable strategy,” Jinlong says.

“I don’t need grades from you,” Kite retaliates.

“I meant it as a compliment,” Jinlong says. “Brat. You truly do remind me of Mizael.”

“I’m nothing like him!” Kite says.

“You’re exactly like him!” Jinlong snaps. “Don’t tell me you know Mizael better than I do, child.”

“Maybe, but you don’t know me,” Kite says.

“Oh? And you think you know who you are?” Jinlong asks. “You think you know what you’re made of, what your limits are? Then you are mistaken.”

Kite ends his turn and Jinlong starts his, summoning a new monster and backing Kite into what seems to be an impossible corner. But while one attack could end Kite, Jinlong’s monster can’t attack, so he ends his turn.

“I’ve got chills,” Yuma says.

“It’s unlike you to be nervous,” Ryoga says.

“Don’t get jealous, it’s not for Kite,” Yuma says, looking around. “I’m waiting for Mizael to show up.”

As the duel progresses, Kit sacrifices his own life points so he has a chance to defeat one monster, and ends up with only 200 points left. He’s in rough shape, but hasn’t lost the spark in his eyes. It’s a spark Yuma recognizes—Kite is angry. He’s always angry, but this time it’s because he feels like he’s being taunted. Kite doesn’t like when people holds things he can’t have in front of his face, Yuma saw it first hand in the duel carnival. But she also knows that Kite learned from that, learned not to make dumb mistakes out of desperation. So he may be down, but Yuma knows better than to count him out.

So when Jinlong takes control of Galaxy Eyes, Yuma knows Kite will take it back.

“You can pay half your life to destroy it, and keep it from falling into my hands,” Jinlong taunts. “Wouldn’t it be better to destroy it by your own hands than have it fall to the enemy?”

That strikes a chord with Yuma—they still haven’t heard the whole legend of this ruin, just that Mizael was involved. Did Mizael kill the dragon he fought beside, rather than have an enemy take it? Or was it the reverse, and he was killed by the dragon he once fought beside?

As Yuma puzzles this over, Kite evades certain destruction, summons Neo Galaxy Eyes, and starts the process of winning. Yuma quietly watches kite sidestep Jinlong’s traps, telling the man that he knew to prepare, because of how great a duelist Jinlong was, and knowing that Jinlong would push him to his limits.

“But you still call him ‘kisama,’” Yuma mutters.

Neo Galaxy Eyes strikes Jinlong with a finishing blow. Kite has won.

Yuma approaches Kite and puts her hand on his shoulder. Ryoga strides past them and kneels before Jinlong.

“Will you tell us the legend of these ruins?” He asks.

Jinlong nods. “Long ago, this land was protected by a dragon, and the people of the land called the dragon their guardian angel. Mizael was a human who had the heart of a dragon, and together they protected the land. But one year, tragedy after tragedy struck, and many people died. A wandering Shaman came to the land and proclaimed the dragon to be at fault for the carnage, and the people turned on the dragon. When Mizael stood up for the dragon, the people turned on him too, and said he should kill the dragon. Mizael aimed his sword at his own neck, and asked the people if they would believe his words if he gave his own life. Suddenly, hundreds of arrows flew through the air. The wandering Shaman had been a spy from a neighboring kingdom, who used the people’s weakened state to attack. They killed the dragon, and they killed Mizael, and they took over the land.”

Jinlong looks at Kite. “You, young duelist, never gave up on your dragon, nor did you give up the right to choose your own path. You are just like the hero, my hero, Miza—”

“ENOUGH!” A voice roars.

Yuma stumbles back and clutches her chest. “MOTHER FUCKER!” She screams as Mizael leaps down from a roof.

“You,” Jinlong growls. “How can this be? I sense Mizael’s soul in you…”

“Shut up,” Mizael snarls. “You say I was once a human? How dare you!”

“Oh fuck off,” Yuma snaps. “You’re a human right now you hypocrite. And what do you know about your own past? How do you know you’re not a human?”

Mizael pays her no attention and instead sneers at Kite. “I believe I owe you a duel,” he says.

“Fine by me,” Kite fires back.

Yuma throws up her hands. “Kite, can we not get into a dick-measuring contest right now? We got places to be!”

But as the words leave her mouth, the ground rumbles and Mizael scowls. “I’ll back off for today, but next time for sure…”

Before Yuma can even gather her wits to call him out, light fills the sky and nearly blinds her. When the light fades, she and the boys are standing on top of a measly little point.

“What happened to the ruins?” She asks, looking around. She sees something glinting by her foot and bends down to pick it up—it’s her father’s coin.

“The legend doesn’t end there,” Jinlong’s voice says.

A great dragon, Number 46, flies from the clouds and floats before the group. Jinlong’s voice says, “The dragon died, but its soul became touched by the Number. Thus I have protected the ruins and this power for eons, waiting for someone who can use this power wisely.”

So Jinlong was the dragon of the legend.

“In my eons, I once saw a great battle that nearly destroyed this earth, and I sense another great battle coming. Kite, I entrust myself to you. Help keep this battle from happening.”

The dragon fades and a card lands in Kite’s hand.

Yuma leans over his shoulder to look at the card. “Someday I’m going to need that,” she mutters.

“You can duel me for it,” Kite says.

“Well yeah,” Yuma agrees, “But can we duel with like, rock paper scissors?”

“Don’t be cute,” Ryoga says.

“I’m always cute!” Yuma whines.

 

* * *

 

Astral listens to the three of them banter from within the Key, so Yuma won’t see the grim look he must be wearing. He may not have absorbed this Number, but he regained a memory all the same.

“My mission is to destroy Barian world,” he whispers.

How will he tell Yuma?


	46. Ponponpon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...That old duel master in the mountains just found Gilag’s ruins! He’s giving an interview on channel 5!” // This is a shit post, just like the episode it's written for.

Yuma stumbles through her front door. “Home,” she wheezes.

“Oh hey,” Akari says from the couch. “How was the weekend with the twins?”

Has it only been a weekend? It feels like a lifetime. “Watched Repo, tried to recreate it,” Yuma mutters, dragging her reanimated corpse up the stairs and into the shower. It takes a lot of soap and hot water before she feels more like a human than a zombie. She goes from the shower to her bedroom, leaves her wet towel on the floor, and only puts on underwear and a t-shirt before she goes to bed. Astral lays down beside her, and she smiles and takes his hand.

“Almost done,” she whispers.

Astral kisses her briefly. “Sleep well, Yuma.”

She doesn’t get to sleep for long before the ringing of her phone wakes her up. She manages to answer it and grumbles, “Somebody better be dying.”

“Yeah,” Kotori says, “I am, because I think that old duel master in the mountains just found Gilag’s ruins! He’s giving an interview on channel 5!”

Yuma runs downstairs and snatches the remote from her sister, switching to the news channel.

“Oye!” Akari cries, “Put some pants on!”

Yuma ignores her. Rokujuro is talking about Gilag’s legend, that he was a brave Samurai who fought alongside a bunch of other generals, and who was a frugal person who gave all the treasures he won in battle back to his village. But the old man doesn’t say how the general died.

“It must have been terrible,” Yuma says, forgetting she’s still on the phone with Kotori, so when Kotori speaks, she jumps.

“You going to the duel lodge?”

“Ah! Uh, yeah,” Yuma says, looking down at herself. “Once I get dressed.”

“Like I told you to,” Akari yells after her.

Yuma gets dressed, but she’s still very tired. She feels like she sleepwalks to the duel lodge, and once she looks at the statue of Gilag, she feels like she’s in a dream state. Behind her, Kotori murmurs that it feels unreal.

“In the legends, we never did see what the heroes looked like,” Yuma says. She reaches out and touches the statue, and everything goes dark.

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes. She’s not in the duel lodge anymore—instead she’s in a small clearing surrounded by trees. She looks around, and feels a tap on her ankle.

“Who are you?”

Yuma looks down. A small, furry creature is at her feet. She squeals. “Oh, you’re so cute!”

The creature frowns and puffs up. “I’m not cute, I’m a warrior! I am Ponta, warrior!”

Yuma holds back from squealing again. “My apologies, Ponta-san. My name is Tsukumo Yuma, and I’m something of a warrior, too.”

Ponta squints at her. “You’re awfully young to be a warrior.”

It’s a dream anyway, so Yuma allows herself to crumble. “I am, aren’t I?” She asks, sinking to the ground and starting to cry. “I wish I didn’t have to do this, but I do, I have to!”

Ponta pats her arm. “Erm…there, there. I’m sorry I upset you.”

Yuma wipes her face. “No, it’s not you, it’s just, I’m so tired, but I can’t tell Astral, because he would think it’s his fault, and I love him so much. He’s my everything you see, my soulmate, and I know he blames himself for this.” She ends up spilling everything to Ponta, about the key, the Numbers, the Numeron code, and everything.

By the time Yuma collects herself, a fire has appeared and Ponta is boiling water over it. He opens a box of sweet-smelling tea and adds it to two cups.

“Where did this come from?” Yuma asks.

Ponta hands Yuma a cup of tea. “You seem to need it.”

“Thank you,” Yuma sniffles. She takes a sip of the tea—it’s delicious, and she tells Ponta so. The creature beams, and Yuma says, “I don’t mean to be rude but…what exactly are you?”

Ponta puffs out his chest. “I am a Tanuki! And like you, I once had a partner whom I loved very much.” Ponta’s expression darkens. “But he betrayed me.”

Well, since Yuma has spilled her life story to him, it’s only fair she listen to his. “You can tell me about it if you like.”

Ponta sips his tea. “Kiraku was a samurai who saved my life, and to repay my life’s debt to him, I often took his place in battle. I could change my shape at will, and lead armies in his place. But one day, right before a huge battle, he suddenly told me to leave. I begged to know why, but he pushed me away. He ended up losing that battle, and his life.”

“Kiraku, is that the man the statue shows?” Yuma asks.

Ponta nods. “I sealed myself in that statue, waiting for a warrior whom I could entrust my spirit to.” He squints at Yuma. “I can tell you are a warrior.”

“Not a brave one,” Yuma says.

Ponta puts a hand on her knee. “No, even brave warriors must shed tears, for others and themselves. But Yuma, I must ask you what you think of the Barians you’ve told me about.”

Yuma thinks about it. “I’m angry with them,” she says. “I want to know why they want to destroy Astral world. I want to know if they remember their pasts, if they regret things, if they would be willing to change.”

Ponta nods. “Will you help me? Will you help me talk to Kiraku, or Gilag as you know him?”

Yuma nods. “I’ll do my best. But how? Aren’t you sealed in this statue?”

Ponta grins at her. “No, I have now sealed myself into the Number. You can take me with you, wherever you go.”

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes and blinks. Kotori hovers over her.

“Thank god!” Kotori shouts. “You just passed out!”

Yuma sits up. “I had such a strange dream…” she says. But she realizes that she’s holding something and looks down—it’s a Numbers card, Number 64. “It wasn’t a dream!” She shouts, clutching the card. “Ponta, it’s you!”

“Ponta?” Asks a deep voice.

Yuma and Kotori whirl around and scream. Gilag stands a few feet behind them.

“Kiraku!” Ponta’s voice cries as he appears beside Yuma.

Gilag snarls, “You!” and lunges at the spirit. 

Yuma clings to the card, grabs Kotori, and screams “Run!!”

They race back down the mountain, and Yuma can hear Ponta squeaking in terror the entire time.

Gilag cackles, “Run, run, as fast as you can, but I’ll catch you eventually!”

Yuma and Kotori run all the way back to Yuma’s house, arriving hot, sweaty, and scared. Ponta clings to Yuma’s leg, shaking and near-tears. Yuma kneels and gathers the spirit in her arms. Somehow, she’s able to touch him.

“What…was that about?” Kotori wheezes.

“I’ll tell you…when I catch my breath,” Yuma answers.

This is complete insanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you can see, Gilag did not eat Ponta. That was...horrifying.


	47. Fathoms Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final two Numbers seem to be located in the same place, the middle of the ocean. // Why yes I did title this after a song from The Little Mermaid.

The final two Numbers seem to be located in the same place, the middle of the ocean.

“I’ve checked every map my dad has, even the ones he used to record archaeological sites, and Google Images,” Yuma says as she, Ryoga, Rio, Astral and Kotori stare at the map. “I found no indication that this point is anything besides open ocean. But who knows, maybe something like what happened in the Stone Forest will happen again and ruins will pop out of the mist.”

Rio’s tapping her foot erratically. “I’ve just got a bad feeling.”

Yuma smiles at her and rubs her arm. “You’ve had a bad feeling at all the ruins. I doubt this one’s history will be much different from the others.”

Rio nods. “I guess.”

So they take off for the short wormhole trip. Once the ship is on autopilot, Yuma heads out to the deck, with Astral trailing behind her. She takes her deck from her pocket, along with the King’s coins that she still has. The old duel master sent her a coin the other day—he found it when he was excavating Kiraku’s statue. Right now she has the coins from Vector’s ruins, Mizael’s, and Gilag’s. She’s not sorry that she gave one coin to Droite and Gauche, but she kind of regrets giving one to Durbe.

“Still thinking about the Barians?” Astral asks.

Yuma flips through her deck until she gets to Numbers 64, where Ponta’s spirit rests. He’s still very upset about Gilag nearly attacking him, and is recovering quietly. “I wish I knew why Gilag betrayed Ponta in the past. In the other legends, it was the hero who was betrayed. And I wish I knew what made these specific people become part of Barian world. Does anyone who is betrayed by close friends become part of it? By that logic, Julius Caesar and Jesus should be there.” She sighs and looks at Astral. “Hey…what’s Astral world like?”

Astral looks confused. “Well, from what I remember…very blue. It’s mostly ocean, and you can hear the waves and smell the water all the time. It’s quiet, and most everyone knows each other. The windows in every building are different colors, and the light that comes in through them makes everything seem like a rainbow.”

He sounds wistful. “Do you want to go back there?” Yuma asks him, her heart racing.

Astral shrugs and frowns at her. “I want to stay with you, I said so before. Why do you ask?”

“I guess I’m just…wondering what Barian world is like,” Yuma says. “If the inhabitants died betrayed and suffering…what must their world be like to live in?”

“You’ll drive yourself crazy thinking about that stuff,” Ryoga says, popping up next to her and leaning into the railing of the ship.

“Isn’t it only natural to want to know more about what I’m up against?” Yuma asks. “Aren’t you curious?”

“No,” Ryoga says. “All I want to do is pay them back for using me and Rio. That’s that.”

Yuma frowns. She loves him, but he can be such a twat. How can he pretend not to be curious?

But she can’t dwell on that, because the ship is about to exit the wormhole, and they do so right in the middle of a storm.

“FUCKING BALLS!” Yuma screams, “The weather wasn’t supposed to be like this!”

Rio falls to her knees, covering her ears. “Stop calling me!” She shouts.

“Yuma, the ship is powering down!” Kotori cries.

Ryoga shouts, “Rio, pull it together!”

Suddenly, the lights go out. It’s only for a few seconds, but when they come back on, Rio has disappeared. Yuma feels like she could faint—Rio can’t get hurt again, she just can’t!

“She’s on deck!” Kotori shouts.

They all take off running, and arrive on deck in time to see Rio fall over the edge and into the stormy fathoms below.

“NO!” Yuma screams.

“RIO!” Ryoga screams.

Yuma runs and dives straight into the ocean, not realizing that Ryoga and Kotori are on her heels. Yuma keeps looking straight ahead as she’s sucked into a spiral of water, where she can just see a shape that looks like Rio. She tells herself to just hold her breath, just a little bit longer, but the water is deep and the current is strong. Her chest aches at the lack of air, her head spins, and finally she blacks out.

 

* * *

 

When Yuma opens her eyes she sees water  _above_  her…how can that be? Is she merely imagining things? She sits up. She’s lying on soft sand, and indeed, there is water above her. Next to her, Kotori and Ryoga sit up.

“What are you two doing here?” She asks. “Why’d you jump in after me?”

“I’m going after my sister,” Ryoga snaps. “I wasn’t following you!”

“I was worried, too,” Kotori says defensively. “But where are we?”

Astral floats towards the water. “We seem to be at the bottom of the ocean,” he says.

Yuma throws up her hands. “Sure, why not?” She says. “Well, at least we know where Rio went,” she points at a set of footprints. “Let’s get a move on.”

They follow the footprints over a hill, and a citadel rises above it. They climb the perfectly preserved front steps and find themselves facing…a labyrinth.

“Right, Jim Henson prepared us for this,” Yuma says, squaring her shoulders. “We stay together, trust no wall, and don’t talk to handsome men in tight pants.” She imagines Kite popping up in his costume, with his tight pants and billowing jacket, and giggles.

In a crack in the wall, she suddenly spies something glinting. She goes to the wall pulls two coins from the crevice—her dad was here, so the Numbers must be here, too.

“Stay together,” Yuma repeats, pocketing the coins.

As they walk, Ryoga muses, “I wonder if Rio’s ability to sense Barians called her down here. Maybe the two we haven’t met are here. Maybe that’s who was calling her.”

“Could be,” Yuma agrees. “Just remember, if you see her, don’t go running off after her, because it could be a trick.”

“Yuma wait, I see a card,” Ryoga says. He turns down a corner…and a wall immediately appears, sealing him into the maze.

Yuma curses, “WHAT DID I JUST FUCKING SAY?!” She hammers on the wall, but Ryoga doesn’t call out to her. She takes a few steps back and leaps, trying to scale the wall, but she slips and falls.

“Okay, that’s it,” Yuma snarls, “No more Miss Nice Lady.”

“You were nice before?” Kotori asks.

Yuma yanks off her vest and then her t-shirt, she tears off a strip of cloth from the bottom of her shirt and ties one end to her belt loop, and the other end to Kotori’s before putting her shirt back on.

“There,” she says, “Now the only way we lose each other is if we take our pants off.” She turns to the Labyrinth at large. “WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?!”

So of course, walls go up, sealing the three of them in.

“Do me a favor,” Kotori says, untying herself from Yuma, “Stop talking, and stop taking off your clothes.”

Suddenly, a hole appears in the ceiling of water. A spout of water falls, and from it emerges Durbe.

Kotori screams and hides behind Yuma. Water continues to pour into the Labyrinth.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” Yuma asks, shielding Kotori as best she can.

“Looking for the Numbers, obviously,” Durbe says. “I can’t allow any more of them to fall into your hands.”

“Well you’re out of luck,” Yuma snaps. “I don’t have them.”

“Who cares?” Durbe asks. “You are an enemy who must be defeated eventually. It might as well be now.”

“Fuck off,” Yuma says. “I refuse to fight you, and you can’t make me.”

“Coward,” Durbe accuses.

“No, I just don’t see the point,” Yuma says. “You were once human, after all. Why should you be my enemy? Why should you be Astral’s enemy?”

“Shut up,” Durbe snaps, and Yuma feels Kotori flinch behind her. “I refuse to believe I was human. Those legends are mere stories and have nothing to do with Barian world. As for Astral, our worlds have always fought each other!”

“Why should that mean you have to continue the fight?!” Yuma demands. “Why can’t you start a new path? Do you even know what you’re fighting for?!”

“Say what you like, we can never coexist,” Durbe says. “Isn’t that right Astral?”

Astral stares Durbe down. “I was sent to earth with the purpose of destroying Barian world,” he says.

Yuma gapes at him. “What did you say?!”

“However,” Astral continues, “As Yuma once said, I can do whatever I damn well please. Maybe I don’t think Barian world needs to be destroyed for this to end.”

Indeed, she did say that Astral could do what he wanted, when Tron said that Kazuma sent Astral to gather the Numbers. She relaxes, and smiles at Astral.

Durbe scoffs. “Then you betray your own people.”

“But I hold true to the one I love,” Astral says, putting his hand on Yuma’s shoulder. “So I’m not ashamed.”

Before Durbe can retaliate, light shoots up from the distance. The group turns toward it.

“What’s that?” Kotori asks timidly.

“A duel,” Astral says.

“We’ll settle this later,” Durbe says, flying off.

“Bastard,” Yuma says as she watches him soar over the walls of the maze. “It must be Ryoga or Rio dueling, there’s no one else down here. How do we get there?”

Astral gasps. “The water! Follow the current in the water!”

By the time they make it to the center of the Labyrinth and the duel, Rio is hovering over a giant blue man, Ryoga looks ready to pass out, and Durbe is floating over it all like the Wicked Witch of the West. Yuma takes off running for Rio and not a moment too soon, as she starts to fall. Ryoga screams bloody murder, but Yuma will be damned if she lets Rio get hurt. She catches Rio and collides with the stone floor. She swears her ribs crack, but Rio is safe.

“Got her,” Yuma wheezes. Her vision goes dark and she passes out yet again.

 

* * *

 

When Yuma wakes up, she’s in the airship’s control room, and Kotori is sitting next to her. Yuma thinks to herself that she’s got to stop fainting, it can’t be good for her health.

“Welcome back,” Kotori says. “We’re on our way home. Ryoga got the Numbers.”

Yuma sits up and spies the twins standing a short distance away. She scrambles to her feet.

“IDIOT!” She screams, running at Ryoga and Rio. She punches Ryoga in the gut and hugs Rio. “Rio, your brother is a twat. After I told him not to run off, he went and ran off!”

Rio pats Yuma’s head. “My poor Yuma, having to deal with my idiot brother.”

Ryoga rubs his stomach. “I got the Numbers,” he grumbles.

“But did you guys find the legend?” Kotori asks.

“Yeah, but we didn’t see any Barians,” Rio says. “Also, I seem to have twisted my ankle somehow.”

“What was the legend?” Yuma asks distractedly—she’s patting Rio down to make sure she didn’t get hurt anywhere else.

Ryoga answers, “Apparently this kingdom was attacked by Vector and the king tried to defend it against him. I think a priestess sacrificed herself, or something.”

“Tragic,” Yuma says. “Well, we won’t have to hear any more tragic stories now. And we got most of the Numbers.” Then she remembers that the last of the seven Numbers is with 96. “Aw, fuck everything,” she mutters, “I gotta duel 96 at some point.”

She misses the far-off look in Ryoga’s eyes, like he’s thinking some very deep and possibly disturbing thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we’re starting to switch things up here—as you can see, Rio is not unconscious and will not be unconscious for the nest 15 episodes. And things will change even more in the next few parts!!


	48. As Old As Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’d sulk too if you turned into a monster,” Yuma had told him after Sargasso. Is this how she felt? Like she wanted to claw her way out of her own skin?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m changing up the sequence of events here, as well as who all shows up. We’re not going to have the appearances the Four Villains of the Dark Duels (because those duels were time wasters), and I certainly was not going to have Ryoga skulking around the old mansion when the big disappearance happens. So here we go, the first switcharoo.

Watching the seas part as the enormous being rose from the depths was terrifying enough, but watching his sister, his beloved twin, ride to the end of the dock, having a gut feeling of what was about to happen…it was horrific.

He screamed her name, over and over, unable to reach her with his arms but hoping his voice would carry to her and make her go back. She had to go back, she had to!

His friends hopped on the Pegasus and tried to catch her as she fell, but the God grabbed her and squeezed her tight in his fist.

“No, no!” He screamed.

She smiled at him, he could make out her lips, mouthing  _‘It’s okay,’_  but how could it be okay, how?!

“Merag!” He wails—

 

Ryoga shoots up in his bed, drenched in sweat and his heart going a mile a minute. He kicks the blankets off and strips off his soaked pajamas. Once dressed, he stumbles into the kitchen and straight for the coffee.

It’s been just over 48 hours since they left the last ruin, and Ryoga has been consumed with what he’s seen. He saw himself fighting, leading a kingdom into war against Vector, and being aided by Durbe. He saw Rio go willingly to her death. The scariest part was how real it felt. He could feel the weight of the sword in his hands, smell the ocean, feel the collective terror as the God rose from the ocean. It felt like…a memory.

But for that to be true, he would need to be a reincarnation of the emperor connected to that ruin. And following the logic of the other five ruins, which were connected to Barian emperors…he and Rio would be Barians.

Ryoga sits at the kitchen table and sips his coffee. The TV is still on from last night, talking about abnormal weather phenomenon all over the world. Ryoga couldn’t care less about the weather at the moment. How could he be a Barian? He’s never felt like one, he has no memory of it, and none of the other Barians have recognized him—which they surely would have done, if it were true. But the ruins called Rio to them, and he can’t deny the feeling he got from them, nor can he ignore the way the guardian of the ruin, Abyss, spoke to him—about proving his worth, about overcoming the test.

But he hates the Barians! They’re monsters, they don’t care who they hurt, they used Yuma, and Rio, and they used him, too. Ryoga’s blood boils at the thought that he could possibly be one of  _them_. He would sooner tear out his own eyes à la Blind Mag than admit he’s one of those stone creatures.

He puts his coffee cup down and clenches his hands tight so he won’t see his fingers shaking. He imagines turning into a Barian, his skin splitting apart and gems sprouting from the rock that became his new skin, his nails lengthening, his mouth vanishing…

Ryoga shudders and stands up, walking out of the apartment and onto the landing outside. It’s early, but people are out and about, calling to each other, collecting the morning paper, and generally going about their day. How can they go on as if all is normal? How can it be that he’s the only one falling apart?

_“You’d sulk too if you turned into a monster,”_  Yuma had told him after Sargasso. Is this how she felt? Like she wanted to claw her way out of her own skin? She was right, it was worth sulking over. Maybe it had been some kind of prophecy, her saying that to him. If he’s a Barian, then he truly is a monster.

He hears the door open and turns—Rio edges out on to the landing, sliding on her glasses. “Oh, so here you are,” she says, coming to stand behind him, close enough that their arms touch as they each rest their elbows on the railing. “Still thinking about the ruins, I see.”

“Aren’t you?” Ryoga asks her.

Rio frowns at him. “This doesn’t have to mean we’re Barians,” she says seriously, cutting right to the heart of Ryoga’s concerns. “Barians of any kind, never mind Barian emperors.”

“But in the other ruins, the memories have always kind of…shown themselves, I guess, to the Barians,” Ryoga objects. “So the fact that we saw those things…”

“The Barians being human incarnations of the people in the legends was just a theory,” Rio reminds him. “It could be true. It could also be that the legend, or the energy of the ruin, latched on to any being who was present. It’s possible that the Numbers protected Yuma from the influence of that energy, and so the energy went to someone else.”

“And happened to latch on to the Barians?” Ryoga asks.

Rio shrugs. “Barians have energy of their own. Maybe the power of the ruins was drawn to it. Haven’t stranger things happened?”

Ryoga still isn’t convinced. “But what if it is true, and we…we are Barians?”

“Does it matter?” Rio asks crossly. “Do you remember being a Barian?”

At that, Ryoga smiles. “No.”

“Do you remember being Yuma’s friend?” Rio continues, her eyes fierce. “Do you remember the sleepovers? Do you remember loving her, and how much she loves us?”

Ryoga nods.

“Then that’s what matters,” Rio says. “And if you hurt Yuma, I don’t care how much I love you, I will actually maim you.”

“Yes, Rio,” Ryoga says. That’s right, it doesn’t matter. He loves Yuma.

“If it still bothers you, go to our old place,” Rio says. “That place is practically a ruin itself. Let those memories take hold of you.”

It’s not a bad idea, giving himself something else to be miserable over (though that surely wasn’t her meaning), so Ryoga decides to do just that. He tells his sister to go back to bed and he heads off for the old mansion that his family used to live in.

Few people know that the pendant he wears is actually a locket. It’s a clever design, it attaches to the choker with a thin wire that he can pull out. As he walks, he pulls the pendant out and opens it to look at the picture inside. It was one of the last that they had taken with their parents. They were so happy—that happiness had been real. Just like the accident that took their parents away from them was real.

Ryoga arrives at the house and pushes the rusted front gate open. It’s not a house, actually, it’s a mansion. He smiles as he remembers Yuma’s shocked face when she saw it for the first time. She had loved all the dramatic staircases, saying that they were perfect for pictures before school dances, and for reenacting Sarah’s dramatic tantrum in the opening of Labyrinth.

Now, the house feels too big for Ryoga. It’s funny, because it’s the same size it’s always been, but when he was a kid, it never felt like an especially large house. Maybe because it was normal for him, or maybe because it was always busy. Even when their parents weren’t home, there was the staff, and Yuma was over several times a week, so the three of them would fill the house with noise.

Ryoga goes into the formal sitting room. The old suit of armor is gone, sold before their parents died, because it almost killed him. He can see the scene playing out as if he’s watching a movie.

_He and Rio had been fighting over something, he doesn’t even remember what, but she had dashed around the suit of armor and Ryoga had bumped into it. The thing would have fallen on Rio, if Ryoga hadn’t pushed her out of the way at the last second. One of the edges of the armor cut right through his shirt and sliced open his shoulder. He needed stitches to close it, and Rio had been hysterical. Mom had done her best to comfort Rio while Ryoga sat on his dad’s lap for the stitches. On the way home, dad drove and mom tucked each of them under an arm in the backseat._

_“My babies,” she said. “Mama is sorry. That old suit of armor should have been taken out when you two learned to crawl. There now Rio, Ryoga, it was just an accident. You both know that, don’t you?”_

_Ryoga nodded and held Rio’s hand. “Why are you crying?”_

_“Because I don’t want my big brother to be hurt,” Rio had sniffled. “I don’t want anyone to be hurt.”_

_Mom had kissed her head. “There, there, dear. No hurt lasts forever. Nothing bad ever lasts forever.”_

“Nothing bad ever lasts forever,” Ryoga says to himself now.

He still feels the loss of his parents, but it’s gotten easier to live with over time. He still has Rio, and Yuma. He has Yuma as more than a friend now, she’s his girlfriend. She might just be the love of his life, sappy as it may sound. She pulled him out of a dark place, she was his rock through the entire WDC. Rio is right, even if he was a Barian, it wouldn’t matter—he would never side with them, because he would never betray Yuma like that. And while she doesn’t like Barians either, he has to think that if he was one…she wouldn’t stop loving him.

With that, Ryoga decides to head home. He leaves the house and closes the gate, and as he walks down the sidewalk, his phone rings—it’s Rio, and in his gut he knows something is wrong.

“Hurry!” Rio urges him, “Something is wrong with Yuma! Go to her, she’s at the embankment, the usual spot, go quickly!”

 

* * *

 

Ryoga arrives just as the flash of light fades, but he won’t find out what happened until they’re at the hospital, waiting outside Yuma’s room while the doctor examines her.

Apparently, Kite had asked Yuma to meet him, so they could talk about the weird weather and his theory behind it. Before they could even start talking, they had been swallowed by light and found themselves in an alternate dimension, facing Number 96. The Spirit had beefed up dramatically since they last saw it, and it was determined to defeat Yuma and Astral and take their Numbers. Yuma had dueled 96 at first, but something was wrong with her—the field messed with her head. Astral took over for her, and when it became too much for him, they formed Zexal. They won, but 96 had one last attack. Zexal split apart, and 96 pierced through Astral’s chest. It seemed that Astral beat 96 in a battle of wills, but he was damaged. He had said goodbye to Yuma, and she begged him not to go, but he disappeared, and so did the Emperor’s Key.

As long as he lives, Ryoga will never forget the sounds of Yuma screaming for Astral, for him to come back, for Ryoga to let go of her so she can go after him. This may not be something she can get over, ever.

_“Nothing bad ever lasts forever.”_

Ryoga’s starting to wonder if his mom had it wrong after all.

 


	49. The Memory Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma falls to her knees, hands over the empty spot where the Key should be. “He’s gone,” she cries.

“Did we win?” Zexal asks, and within her head, Astral answers,  _‘Yes, we did.’_

But 96 isn’t done. He launches himself at them, screaming that he’ll just take their body. But Astral splits Zexal apart, and 96 pierces through his chest.

Yuma screams. 96 flows under Astral’s skin like ink, Yuma can hear the spirit screaming that it will destroy everything Astral holds dear. But Astral squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a mighty roar, and a light covers him. There’s an explosion, and when the light fades, Astral hovers over a hole in the field.

“Astral!” Yuma screams, running to the edge of the hole. “Why did you split us apart?!”

Astral grins. “Because I couldn’t allow you to be hurt. I love you too much, Yuma.”

“I love you too,” Yuma cries, tears stinging her eyes, “That’s why I wanted to stay with you, to help you!”

“But there was nothing you could have done,” Astral murmurs. “I’m sorry, Yuma. Your life is too precious. You must go on, you must go back to your friends and loved ones. And I…I must go.”

“Go where?!” Yuma screams, “No, not without me! We promised we would always be together!! Astral, please, we need each other, I need you! I love you!”

Astral’s body begins to fade. He smiles. “I love you more than I ever thought…” he says, and he vanishes into a spiral of light.

Yuma lets out a wordless scream. The Key is torn from her neck, and vanishes into the light that took Astral. There’s a bright flash, and Yuma stands on the embankment next to the river, where she was with Kotori, Kite, and Orbital before all this started.

“It was a dream,” she gasps. “I dreamed it all…” She reaches for the Key, but it’s gone. “No,” she says. She looks at Kotori, but she’s on her knees, sobbing. Kite has his back turned to her. Orbital’s head is down.

“Yuma!” Ryoga calls.

Yuma falls to her knees, hands over the empty spot where the Key should be. “He’s gone,” she cries, her throat tight like she’s being strangled. “He’s…gone. We said we would be together but he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone just like mom and dad!” She screams, “Astral, come back, please! Please, come back to me!” Someone hugs her, and she fights against them. “Let me go! I have to go after him! I want to go after him! I don’t want to go on without him, I can’t go on without him, no, no, no! It’s not fair!” She screams, hysterical, over and over, until she can’t breathe, until the lack of air makes everything disappear.

 

* * *

 

The sharp smell of rubbing alcohol and cotton hits Yuma’s nose before she opens her eyes—it’s the smell of a hospital. Who brought her here? It must have been Ryoga, or Kite. Wait…Ryoga didn’t come to the other dimension with them, why was he there when she…when she screamed for Astral…

Astral, who left her.

Yuma opens her eyes and stares at the ceiling. Was it real? Was any of it real? Did she really go to another dimension? Is Astral really gone? Was Astral even there at all? It all seems so unbelievable…

She hears a door open and looks over to it. Akari hurries in, looking frantic. “Yuma! What happened?”

What indeed? How can she explain it to Akari when she doesn’t fully understand it herself? She looks back at the ceiling.

Yuma hears a man’s voice talking to Akari. “…brought in by the kids outside. Said she fainted after a skateboarding accident. She does have some injuries, and none seem to be to her head, but she hasn’t been very responsive. We’ve tried asking her questions, but she won’t talk, she barely looks at us.”

Yuma feels someone touch her arm.

“Yuma, honey, can you look at me?”

It’s Akari. Yuma closes her eyes. She’s so tired. She doesn’t want to look at anyone.

“Please talk to me. What happened? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?”

Yes, but not physically. But it feels physical. Like her heart’s been ripped out of her body. Like her ribs have been crushed. Like any minute now something will explode out of her chest.

“Breathe!” Akari screams.

She takes a shallow, ragged breath in, suddenly aware of a rapid beeping. An oxygen mask is pressed to her mouth, and a sob rises in her throat. She wheezes, she chokes, she blacks out…

 

* * *

 

She wakes up, but keeps her eyes closed.

“…like this after our parents went missing,” Akari is saying. “Is it possible she had some sort of relapse?”

“I suppose,” says an unfamiliar voice. “Grief is a very tricky thing, especially in young adults. Did she go to therapy?”

“Yes, for a long time,” Akari says. “She made progress, she was doing so well, she even went back to school and made friends, she won a duel tournament this year. I don’t know if I…if I missed something. She’s been private lately, but she’s fourteen, that’s normal, isn’t it?”

“Easy now,” says the voice, “Don’t go blaming yourself. As the kids out there if something happened to trigger a relapse—it would probably be better coming from you.”

Yuma wants to laugh; Akari won’t get any answers from her friends, not true ones at least. Not like she would probably believe the truth, anyway.

The door opens and closes. Yuma opens her eyes and looks around. She’s alone.

She’s truly alone. For months Astral has always been there—even when she couldn’t see him, she could feel him in the key, resting just next to her heart. They fell asleep together every night, holding hands. She leaned on him so often these past few months. It was stupid of her, she should have known he would go someday. Maybe not so soon, but doesn’t everyone leave? Mom, dad, Rio, Ryoga—they all left. Grandma is getting older, too. Akari is older than her by several years, she’ll die first. Someday Yuma will be all alone. Why is she surprised that Astral left her?

Because they were soulmates. They said so even before they started thinking of each other in a romantic sense. Surely it must hurt Astral too, being apart…so why did he go? Did 96 hurt him?

Yuma gets out of bed. She walks to the window and opens it. This part of the hospital doesn’t have bars on the windows, just a simple screen that she easily pushes out. The cool air kisses her face and toys with her hair. She inhales, but all she smells is smog. Astral said that his world smelled like water. Did he go back? Does it matter? She doesn’t have a way to get to him.

The door opens and people start screaming at Yuma. She doesn’t fight them when they usher her back to bed, slam the window shut, and start barking for her to be moved to another room.

“Put her on suicide watch,” One man says.

But I don’t want to die, Yuma wants to tell him. It’s not true, she does want to die, but only if Astral is truly never coming back to her. Oh, what does it matter? These people will never listen to her anyway.

 

* * *

 

A parade of people marches in and out of Yuma’s room. Faces swim in front of her eyes and voices plead with her. Talk to us, tell us what happened. Eat something, drink something.

Kotori, Tetsuo, Ryoga, Rio, Tokunosuke, Cathy, Takashi, Kite. All of them try to speak to her, and get her to speak to them. But Yuma is delirious, pumped full of anti-psychotic drugs that make her head spin, especially on an empty stomach. How can she possibly eat when Astral is gone, and she can’t sneak him bites of her food? He was such a dork, he even loved plain rice!

She sees Astral sometimes—not even the drugs can keep him away, even though it’s his fault the doctors gave them to her in the first place. He hovers over her while she’s awake, and he’s there in her dreams. The nightmares are terrible, she can’t sleep for more than a few hours at a time without seeing Astral stabbed through the chest by 96. She wakes wake up screaming, crying, unable to breathe, babbling about monsters. Of course the doctors think she’s crazy.

“Just talk to them!” Ryoga hisses at her. “Lie, make it up! Do something to get out of here!”

Astral floats behind Ryoga’s head, but it’s not really Astral, because his eyes aren’t silver and gold, but rather pure black. When he smiles, his mouth is full of pointed teeth.

Yuma holds her breath until she passes out.

 

* * *

 

Yuma dreams that she’s dancing. She’s wearing a beautiful dress, Sarah’s dream dress from Labyrinth. She dances first with the Goblin King, then with Ryoga, then with Astral. Then she switches back and forth with Ryoga and Astral. Every time she blinks, her partner changes. Ryoga is handsome as a king, in a dark tuxedo with a shimmering white shirt under the coat. His tie is made of some kind of gem, a familiar gem if she’s honest, but not one of this earth.

Astral is handsome as well. He wears a sheer robe, and she can’t tell if it’s blue or white, but it hardly matters, because she can see his body through it either way. His skin is stained black, but it doesn’t seem to bother him.

“I miss you,” Yuma tells Astral.

Ryoga smiles at her. “I’ve brought you a gift.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a crystal,” Astral answers. “Nothing more. But if you turn it this way…”

“And look into it,” Ryoga continues, “It will show you your dreams.”

“My dreams?” Yuma asks. She’s not dancing any more. She’s standing in the dark, and she’s cold. “My dream is…to have Astral back.”

“Go back to your room,” Says Ryoga and Astral’s voices combined. “Play with your toys and your costumes, and forget.”

“But I can’t,” Yuma says slowly. “I can’t...”

 

Yuma opens her eyes. She looks next to her—her IV has been disconnected, her arm bandaged up where the needles were. She’s not getting medication any more. Her head is still fuzzy, but she can finally think—she’s thinking of Labyrinth. She’s also thinking that she wants to go to Heartland.

Yuma gets out of bed. “Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City.” She gets dressed and grabs her duel disk and cards. “For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great…” Her backpack is on the floor. She digs through it and grabs her pocketknife. She walks through the halls. No one tries to stop her. “For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great...Damn, I can never remember that line. You have no power over me.”

Yuma walks out of the hospital and through the streets. It’s dark, it must be the middle of the night. No one pays attention to her as she walks, mumbling the entire script of the movie in a monotone. Ponta prods at her, telling her to turn back, but she ignores him. She’s probably still hallucinating. She passes all the places she and Astral went. She tries not to think about him.

“You can only ask one of us. It’s in the rules. And I should warn you that one of us always tells the truth—and one of us always lies. That’s a rule, too. He always lies. I do not, I tell the truth. Oh, what a lie.”

She makes it to the base of Heartland tower. “Don’t sound so smart,” She whispers, “You don’t even know what an oubliette is. It’s a place you put people…to forget about them.”

“To forget about them,” A familiar voice booms.

Yuma whirls around. “YOU!” She cries.

“Me,” Mr. Heartland says with a grin. “Come now child, are you so surprised to see me? Did you think Barian world would let me go so easily?”

“What do you want?!” She snarls.

“Nothing new,” Heartland tells her. “I want the Numbers, just as I’ve always wanted them.”

“Too bad, they’re mine,” Yuma says.

“Yours?” Heartland asks. “I thought the Numbers belonged to Astral. I thought they were his memories.”

Yuma feels like she swallowed ice. “Don’t say that name!” She snaps.

“Ooh, touchy,” Heartland says. “Poor Yuma, having to carry around those Numbers. Constant reminders of Astral, of the love she lost.”

Yuma swallows. “Through dangers untold…”

“And hardships unnumbered,” Heartland says. “Yuma’s life has been hard, hasn’t it? She’s lost so much.” He walks in circles around her. “Poor Yuma, such a pity. Wouldn’t it be easier to give up the Numbers, just as Sarah wanted to give up her baby brother? Why, it would be like Astral had never existed.”

Never existed…?

“Yes,” Heartland says. “Why live with such bad memories? It will be as if it was just a dream.”

“It was a dream,” Yuma whispers. “I dreamed it all. But it was so real…”

“There’s nothing for you out there,” Heartland says. “All your treasures are at home, in your room. Don’t you want to go back? Don’t you want to forget?”

Yuma reaches into her back pocket.

“That’s it,” Heartland says. “Just give me the Numbers. Forget Astral, like Sarah forgot the baby.”

“Sarah didn’t forget Toby,” Yuma says. “She fought for him.” She looks at Heartland and sees him clearly—he’s not a Goblin King, or a wizard, or the answer to her problems. He’s a horrible old man who preyed on the weak, and Yuma is not weak.

“You are a child,” Heartland says, reaching for his duel disk.

But Yuma whips her knife from her pocket. She launches herself at Heartland and catches him off guard. She knocks him to the ground and sinks the knife into his stomach.

“It’s junk!” She screams she yanks the knife out of his skin. Instead of blood, black ink pours out of the wound. She splays her fingers over his chest to hold him down while she stabs, over and over and over, “It’s all junk, all of it! I don’t want your lies, I don’t want to forget! I want Astral, I want my memories!”

She stabs and stabs, Heartland gurgles at her, eyes pitch black and mouth full of pointed teeth, clawed hands reaching for her. She screams and stabs, and the ink turns into flies that come at her, stinging against her face as they fling themselves out of Heartland’s body. He smells like death, he looks like 96, he looks like a monster.

“You have no power over me, you have no power over me!” Yuma sobs. Her arm aches from the repetitive motions but she keeps sinking the knife into the mutilated body of the thing beneath her. She doesn’t even remember what it was, but it frightened her and she wants it dead.

“Yuma, Yuma!” A voice cries.

Someone holds her, pinning her arms to her chest. She’s pulled back, away from the body. She writhes and screams, she tries to yank herself free, but she’s so tired.

“Let me go,” she begs, “Let me go, please, I want to find him, I want him back, I need him back, I can’t forget, I don’t want to forget!”

“Shh,” the voice says. “It’s okay now, Yuma. Heartland can’t hurt you anymore.”

Yuma blinks tears out of her eyes. Pink hair, green eyes, a warm smile…she knows him. “Michael?”

He smiles at her. “That’s right. You didn’t forget me, did you?”

Yuma inhales, then sobs. “What happened?” She whimpers.

Michael hugs her. “It doesn’t matter. It’s okay now, you’re safe. No more hospital, no more drugs, no more hallucinations. I’m going to take you home, to your sister and grandma.”

Yuma clings to Michael. “Did I kill him?”

“Heartland? I don’t know. I think he was…it doesn’t matter. Come on Yuma, let’s get you home.”

Michael carries her in his arms the whole way. She leans her head on his shoulder. She fiddles with the buttons on his collar. She sings to herself.

“You remind me of the babe…”

Michael doesn’t sing with her. Astral would sing it with her. But Astral isn’t here anymore.

Michael unlocks the door to her house. He sets her down. Yuma goes to her sister’s room. Akari is asleep at her computer. Yuma puts a hand on her shoulder and she sits up, rubs her eyes, and looks over.

“Jesus!” Akari screams, jumping. “Yuma, what are you—how did you—the hospital!!”

Yuma sits in Akari’s lap and wraps her arms around her shoulders. She rests her head against Akari’s neck.

“Hey, sis?” Yuma whispers, “I have to tell you something.” Tears sting her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. “It’s going to sound crazy, but it’s all true, so hear me out. A few months ago, Ryoga broke my key pendant from dad, and I dueled him to get it back. And in the middle of the duel, I kind of blacked out, and a door appeared to me…”

It’ll take hours to tell Akari the whole story, but it’s going to be worth it. Her sister deserves to know everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Heartland was there, but as you can see...nothing like canon.


	50. As the World Falls Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She wonders if she’ll ever stop wondering about what Astral did or didn’t understand.

Yuma is snoozing on the sofa when the doorbell rings. She startles, rubs her eyes and glances at the clock. She wasn’t asleep for very long, and she’s still tired. Chris said she’d be tired like this for a few days.

Michael answers the door and warmly welcomes everyone in—Akari and Grandma have gone shopping, confident enough in Michael’s abilities to watch Yuma that they have left him in charge.

 “Yuma!” Kotori squeaks, rushing over. Takashi, Tetsuo, Cathy, Rio, Ryoga, and Tokunosuke are right behind her.

Yuma manages to smile. “Hey, guys,” She says. Her voice is hoarse, she clears her throat and reaches for her water. Tokunosuke quickly hands it to her.

“How are you feeling?” Cathy asks, kneeling at the foot of the sofa.

Yuma finishes her water. “Better, now that I’m not being pumped full of poison,” she says dryly. There’s an IV in her arm once more, but this time it’s there to give her good things.

“Explain it to us,” Rio says, edging her way past the IV stand and sitting by Yuma’s head. “We haven’t yet heard the full story.”

Yuma presses a hand to her forehead. “I’m not completely sure on all of it either. Michael?”

Michael leans over the back of the sofa and hands Yuma another glass of water. He’s wearing one of her school uniforms because he’s been reluctant to leave her side during the treatment, or so he says. Really, Yuma feels like she’s still on suicide watch.

“Kite called Chris up after he saw Yuma in the hospital,” Michael explains. “He said that she didn’t look like someone who was supposed to be getting better. He snuck a sample of the drugs in her IV and we found out it wasn’t drugs at all. I went to the hospital and disconnected Yuma’s IV, and then I went to find the doctor who had ordered her to be treated. Turned out there was no record of the doctor being at that hospital prior to Yuma’s admission, and when I asked the staff about him, they suddenly couldn’t remember a thing about him.” He sighs, “We’re still trying to find out what happened exactly, but we think it was…”

“Heartland,” Yuma finishes, “And by extension Vector, most likely, since he dealt with Heartland before.”

“Isn’t Heartland dead, though?” Tetsuo asks.

Yuma remembers the body underneath her and she shudders, almost dropping the nearly-full glass of water in her hands. Ryoga catches it and moves it to the table.

“We’re working on that, too,” Michael says quietly. “Anyway I went back to Yuma’s room but she was gone.” He looks nervously at Ryoga. “Thomas tracked her movements by hacking security cameras.”

“I was delirious,” Yuma says, picking up the story where she knows it best. “I was reciting Labyrinth. When Heartland found me he was trying to make me think he knew the story, talking about how Sarah forgot Toby and didn’t I want to be like her? Give him the Numbers, have him take my memories away so I would forget that…” she stumbles over the name, “A-Astral ever existed.” Her hands shake. Rio and Kotori reach for them at the same time and each squeeze one of her hands. Yuma gulps and continues, “I thought about it, for a hot second. But that wasn’t what I wanted. So I stabbed him.”

“Wait, you did what?!” Takashi yelps.

Yuma stares at her lap. “Yeah, I grabbed my pocketknife before I left. So I knocked Heartland down and I stabbed him. First ink came out of his body and then flies. He turned into a monster. Maybe I was still hallucinating.”

“Um, no, I saw the flies,” Michael says.

There’s stunned silence for a few seconds. Yuma goes on, “Yeah then Michael pulled me off of whatever was left of Heartland and carried me home. I went to Akari and told her everything. Then Chris, Thomas, and Kite came over here and got me hooked up with an antidote to whatever the hospital infiltrator gave me.”

It’s been a full 24 hours since then. Yuma’s head is clearer, though her memories of events in the hospital are fuzzy. One thing that hasn’t gone away is the ache in her chest, but that’s not a physical wound. Astral took a piece of her soul when he left, she may never stop hurting from that.

Michael says, “We think Vector ordered Heartland to poison Yuma in an attempt to make her want to give up the Numbers. We have Heartland’s…body, if you will call it that. But you don’t need to hear—”

Yuma talks over him, “Kite and Chris are testing it to see what happened, but it’s decomposing quickly so they gotta keep in a special container or something. He looked fine when he was talking to me, but I think he was actually dead. Then I stabbed his reanimated corpse and he went back to being six months decomposed.” She gets a kind of sick satisfaction thinking about it.

“But…you’re okay, right?” Kotori asks timidly. “You’ll get better from the poison?”

Yuma nods. “Yeah, I will. I’m already feeling b-better,” she stumbles again.

“What did Akari say?” Tetsuo asks. Ryoga glares at him, and Takashi quickly asks a different question.

“Are you going to come back to school, Yuma-san?”

Yuma laughs. “Oh, you can drop the ‘san.’ As for school…not right now.” Maybe not ever.

There’s a brief silence, broken when Cathy says, “Well thank god Yuma wears the boys’ uniform, Michael would be too sexy in a skirt.”

Michael blushes and stammers protests, and Yuma laughs so hard she starts to cry a little. She manages to halt the tears, insisting that she’s okay, and she leans back against the sofa, exhausted.

“Thanks for coming over,” she says, “But I know you all have homework and I’m still really tired. Come back soon, okay?”

They nod, and each of them give Yuma a hug before they leave. When Michael escorts them out, Yuma covers her face and starts to cry in earnest.

 

_Akari had been stunned. “I would hear you in your room, talking to someone…I thought you were on the phone with Ryoga. Does he know that Astral is gone? He must, right?”_

_Yuma nodded. “I was selfish, it’s why Astral’s gone now. I wanted him and Ryoga, and I shouldn’t have. I did so much wrong, it’s all my fault…”_

_“No,” Akari said firmly._

_Michael was crying, Thomas looked like he was trying not to listen, but he had his hand on Michael’s shoulder. Chris was stone-faced as he put the IV needle in Yuma’s arm. They had been present and listening for the last few minutes, but Yuma hadn’t wanted to stop talking, not even long enough for them to set up her poison antidote._

_Akari wiped the tears from Yuma’s cheeks. “How could what happened to Astral have been your fault?”_

_“He separated Zexal to protect me,” Yuma said. “If I had been stronger, strong enough to get all the Numbers, to do it on my own, to be on my own…he thought I was too weak to take 96’s attack. He got hurt all by himself and now he’s gone…”_

_“He would have done it anyway,” Akari says. “He loved you that much. I would have done it, too. You would have done it, if you could have taken 96’s attack by yourself, wouldn’t you?”_

_She would have. She would have, because she loved him._

_“You love him so much,” Akari had whispered, tucking Yuma against her body and holding her while she cried. “That’s it—you let it all out now. You cry and you scream and you rage at the world. You’re hurting so much. My poor baby sister.”_

 

“I knew it.”

Yuma looks up—Ryoga has returned. He squeezes himself in behind Yuma and holds her. She’s too tired and sad to push him away, but she protests. “Stop it, you shouldn’t have to see me like this, you shouldn’t have to comfort me because I lost my other boyfriend.”

“Is that what you think?” Ryoga asks. “Then you’re an idiot, but what else is new? I told you so many times that I didn’t hold your love for Astral against you, or him. Do you really think I would hold your grief against you?”

Yuma sobs. “It’s just so unfair…I don’t even know what happened to him, if he’s…alive or not. I just keep thinking that he can’t be dead. After we formed Zexal, he said that he thought our souls were connected. If he were dead, I don’t know if I would be able to take it. If he were dead…I mean I can’t imagine feeling worse, but if he had died I think I would have, too.” She sniffles. “But if he’s not dead yet, I think he’s close. I think he’s hurt, and I have no idea how to help him. If I could help him. I don’t know where he would be.”

Ryoga strokes her hair. “What exactly did he say to you before he left?”

Yuma’s throat constricts. “‘You must go on, you must go back to your friends and loved ones. And I must go.’ Then he said he loved me more than he ever thought.”

“Go…” Ryoga repeats.

“Vague to the end,” Yuma says. “I want him back, Ryoga. I miss him so much it hurts to even breathe. I would go to the edge of the earth if it would bring him back.”

Then she starts crying so hard she can’t speak, and she cries until she falls asleep.

 

* * *

 

After two days of antidote, Thomas returns and takes the IV out of Yuma’s arm. He also takes a blood sample to check for remnants of poison, but says that she should be fine to go outside, walk around, and try to live again. Michael sticks around, mostly keeping to himself or helping Grandma around the house. He’s not got much to do since he’s watching Yuma, and she’s barely even moving.

Yuma spends three days holed up in the attic, staring at her deck and the Numbers, letting Ponta fuss over her, watching Esper Robin reruns, and thinking about Astral. What would he say, if he was here? Would he understand her grief if Ryoga had died, or gone missing? He probably would have been able to feel it, if they were truly soulmates. He felt her anger in Sargasso, but that was a different story.

She feels like she didn’t apologize enough after that. She still feels terrible about it. And she never told him that she loved how his hair felt against her cheek, when she went to sleep with his head tucked under her chin. And they never went to the Natural History museum together to see the dioramas of how the ancient humans lived, even though she knows he would have loved it. They never went to the Louvre, though she talked about it with him. He never got to see the Great Pyramids at Giza, or the Wall of China, or the Terracotta Warriors. He never got to chew gum and blow a bubble. He never got to try on her uniform or her sneakers or the dress she wore to the WDC ball, even though he expressed interest in trying all of those things on.

If she had known how little time they had together, she would have done more. She would have given him more.

Yuma stands and her joints protest—how long has she been sitting still for? She slides down the fire pole and leaves her room. It’s light out, but she has no idea what time it is.

“Akari?” She calls. Her voice is so hoarse.

Her sister appears like magic. “What is it, sweetie?”

Yuma swallows and clears her throat. “I want a tattoo. For Astral.”

Akari doesn’t really understand, but she signs the consent form at the tattoo parlor. Yuma’s not a great artist, but she can certainly draw the Emperor’s Key from memory, and there are plenty of pictures of her wearing it. She works with the tattoo artist to make sure the printout he uses is to scale. Then the artist asks where she wants it.

“Here,” she says, pointing to her sternum, right over her heart.

The guy doesn’t bat an eye. “The skin there is really thin. It’ll hurt a lot.”

“I know,” Yuma says.

“You’ll have to remove your shirt. Do you—”

He doesn’t even finish his sentence. Yuma tosses her shirt aside and lays down on the bench. She’s just glad she thought to put on a bra when she got changed to leave the house.

The tattoo does hurt, but it’s kind of a relief to have some physical reason for the ache in her chest. She doesn’t whimper, she doesn’t flinch, she just lays there and thinks about how horrified Astral was when she explained tattoos to him. If he were here now, he probably wouldn’t watch.

“You going to come back to get it colored?” The tattoo artists asks as he dabs cream over the finished product.

“Maybe,” Yuma says. “I’ll see how I feel after a few days.”

The tattoo looks really great, actually. This was a good idea, to have the Key and Astral made a part of her forever. Even Akari manages to look impressed.

“It’s pretty,” she says.

Yuma takes a picture of it that night and sends it to all her friends. Their reactions range from pure shock (Takashi) to admiration (Tetsuo).

The day after she gets the tattoo, Yuma wakes up early, dresses herself, and leaves the house. Michael follows her, and Yuma pretends he’s not there. She didn’t ask for the company after all, which is the same way she felt when Astral first showed up.

She goes to the mall, where he first showed up in her duel with Ryoga. She goes to the river bank, the street where they dueled Kite, the museum where they had the tag-duel with Ryoga against the gang leaders. She hesitates there, and thinks about Red and the girls. When she was grieving for her parents, Red took her in. The girls picked her up and gave her something to fight for, a place to channel her grief and rage. She hasn’t heard from them, aside from…

 

_Yuma got a lot of fan mail after she won the WDC and told everyone that Zexal was a stunt. Some of it was cute, some creepy, but one card was all she could have ever asked for._

_It was a birthday card that said “It’s Fine to be Nine” in English on the front, and on the inside was a pop-up birthday cake. There were no signatures, but someone had written something._

_‘Good job, kid.’_

_They didn’t have to sign it for her to know it was from her gang._

 

Come to think of it, Astral never got to meet them either. Yuma gives herself a shake—she left that life behind, she can’t go back to it now just because she lost someone again, that wouldn’t be fair to her or her gang. She goes home. Astral wasn’t anywhere she looked today, but maybe she’ll find some trace of him tomorrow. Until she can figure out how to get to Astral world, this is the best she can do.

She texts Kite that evening. ‘What’s up? How’s Hart?’ She wants to hear that someone is doing well.

‘Fine,’ Kite answers. ‘My dad moved in with us. I’m trying to get along with him for Hart’s sake.’

Yuma smiles, genuinely happy for the first time in days. ‘Good for you,’ she says. ‘Bring him to see me sometime. I miss him.’

‘Will do,’ Kite texts back.

Yuma puts her phone aside. Hart is reconnecting with his dad, and so it Kite. That’s good, they’re moving on, they’re going to be a family. Most of all, Kite didn’t ask her how she was doing. Thank god for that, because she would have had no idea of how to answer.

 

* * *

 

The following day Yuma gets her skateboard and goes to the park. She’s rusty, it’s been weeks since she actually tried to skate (the incident in the airship doesn’t count) and she falls a lot, but just like it did when her parents first went missing, just like with the tattoo, the pain grounds her. She wonders if Astral ever really understood that. She wonders if she’ll ever stop wondering about what Astral did or didn’t understand.

She’s on her way to check for Astral, moseying along on her board, and she knows she’s being watched, but she doesn’t call them out on it. If it makes them feel better to follow her and make sure she’s okay, let them. Who is she, to tell her friends how to cope? Especially not since she’s going back to all the places she and Astral had life-changing events at.

But then Tokunosuke pops up in front of her and almost scares her to death.

“You just took ten days off my life,” Yuma wheezes, hand over her heart—over her tattoo, which throbs as she presses on it.

“Sorry,” Tokunosuke says, but he’s practically vibrating with excitement, “But it’s done, and I want you to see it!”

“See what?” Yuma asks.

“Something I made,” Tokunosuke says vaguely. “You guys can come too!” He calls behind Yuma.

Yuma hears various squeaks of embarrassment and shushes, and she laughs and turns around to face them—Michael, Kotori, Tetsuo, Takashi, and Cathy. “Yeah, come on you lousy sneaks, let’s all go.”

Tokunosuke takes them to the overlook at the river. There’s some kind of glass sculpture there, with flowers around it. Tokunosuke kneels in front of the sculpture.

“What do you think?” He asks. “I made it for Astral.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “You…you made this?”

Tokunosuke turns to the sculpture. “When we first saw Astral, it was because a beam of light came out of your key, so I knew I wanted to do something with light. I found these pieces of glass at the recycle plant…they’re pretty, right? I think Astral would have liked the way they looked when light hits them.”

“But what do you mean it’s for Astral?” Cathy asks.

Tokunosuke folds his hands. “It’s whatever you want it to be. A memorial, a gravestone.”

Tetsuo growls. “What are you saying? Talking about a grave like that!”

Tokunosuke’s shoulders shake—Yuma realizes that he’s crying. She kneels next to him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

“It’s just not fair,” Tokunosuke sobs. “I may not have been able to see Astral like Yuma and Rio could, but I still thought of him as my friend. He helped Yuma free me from the Numbers. Because of the connections we made through Astral, we all became friends. If it weren’t for him, I never would have met you guys, I wouldn’t have had all those great adventures, or the memories that make me so happy. And now…he’s gone, and we have nothing to remember him by.”

Tokunosuke wipes his face. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a couple of rice balls. “Astral liked these,” he whispers, laying them at the base of the sculpture. “There. Now…if he’s in heaven, he can eat them. I’m going to come here every day and feed him. I’ll be so happy if he comes back, but if not…at least someone is taking care of him.” He sobs, but continues, “I do this for my granny every day. It makes me feel better. So I don’t care if you guys think it’s silly, or say that the rice balls are just food for the squirrels. I’m going to do it.”

Kotori starts crying. Takashi sniffles.

Yuma pulls Tokunosuke close and hugs him. “Aw kid, it’s beautiful,” she says. She thinks about what Astral said, that the windows in Astral world were all different colors, and the light threw rainbows on the walls. “You’re right, Astral would have loved the light coming through the glass. And this can be whatever we need it to be. It’s not a grave to me, because I don’t think Astral is dead.” She ruffles his hair, tears stinging her eyes. “We all mourn in our own way. For me, I’ll never stop hoping, I’ll never stop looking.”

For a while, they all just sit there and cry. Yuma wonders if they’re invisible, because no one comes to ask why they’re crying. Just a bunch of kids, crying in front of a sculpture.

“By the way,” Yuma says, “Is this even legal?”

“That’s why there’s chains,” Tokunosuke says. “I poured cement into the ground and stuck the chains into it, and wrapped them around the sculpture. No one can move it.”

Yuma laughs. She laughs so hard she falls over. She’s probably drooling. It feels just like how it did when she first faced Numbers 69. Finally she calms down and sits up to meet the shocked gazes of her friends.

“That,” she says, “Is the most me thing that someone who’s not me has ever done. Do you get it?”

Tokunosuke begins to laugh, too. “I do!” He cries.

And now instead of a group of teenagers crying, it’s a group of teenagers laughing.

“You sound like a bunch of hyenas,” A familiar voice shouts.

Yuma once again feels ten days shave off her lifespan. “MOTHER FUCKER!” She screams, turning to face Kite. “I’M GONNA PUT A BELL ON YOU!”

Kite shakes his head. “I’ve been here since you swore you would never stop looking for Astral. Ryoga tells me that you would go to the edge of the Earth for him?”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “When did he tell you that?”

Kite grins at her. “You ready to go to the edge of the Earth?”

Yuma looks over at her friends. They look at Kotori.

“I’m down,” Kotori says with a small smile. “I’m still part of this gang, after all.”

“Go,” Tetsuo encourages. “You have to.”

Yuma gets to her feet. “Lead the way, I guess,” she says.

Kite takes her and Kotori to the shipping docks, where a military-style helicopter is waiting. And Rio is in the helicopter.

“Surprise!” Rio says, waving.

“What the fuck?” Yuma asks. Rio hugs her and Kotori.

“We’ve been working on it since you told Ryoga that you would never stop looking,” Rio says. “Well, Kite was working on it before that, actually. In the South Pole.”

“You’ve been in the South Pole this whole time?” Yuma shrieks at Kite. “Then, you didn’t visit me in the hospital?”

“I did,” Kite says. “I gave Chris the sample of drugs from your IV, remember?”

The helicopter takes off and Kite turns on a TV, but the screen shows a bunch of diagrams and weird, squiggly lines. “When I saw that hit Astral took, I thought he was dead, too. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought maybe he had just gone back to Astral world. I told Chris, and we started working on a way to get to Astral world. Chris didn’t want to tell you, but I don’t do a thing he says, so now you know.” He turns to Yuma. “And then there’s the King’s coins.”

Yuma reaches into her pocket and pulls out her coins. “What about them?”

“When I saw the one at Jinlong’s ruins, I couldn’t help but think that the metal looked weird, but familiar,” Kite says.

Yuma squints at the coins. It’s true, the metal doesn’t look like normal gold.

“I think it’s the same metal the Key was made from,” Kite says. “I asked Gauche and Droite if I could borrow the coin you gave them, and confirmed the metal is not of this earth. Don’t worry, I gave the coin back to them,” Kite adds, seeing Yuma’s look of horror.

She relaxes. “So what, you think the metal can track down Astral world?”

“I think it can make a portal,” Kite says. “The Key held a different dimension inside of it, I think it has the ability to warp space-time, and I think the coins do, too. In fact, I know it. That single coin I examined contained a massive amount of energy. It almost broke my electron microscope.”

“So then…you did all this for Astral, or me?” Yuma asks.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Kite says. “I did it because without Astral, we can’t get the Numeron code, and if the Barians get their hands on that thing, they’ll destroy our world.”

Kite turns back to the screens, and Yuma looks over her shoulder at Kotori and Rio. Rio winks and beckons Yuma closer.

“He totally did it for you,” Rio whispers in Yuma’s ear. “I’m not sure if it’s because he feels guilty for putting you through all that shit before the WDC, or because he likes you.”

Yuma looks back at Kite. “I’m not sure I could handle a third boyfriend,” she whispers.

When the helicopter lands Yuma shrugs off Rio’s offer for a coat. Ryoga is waiting on the tarmac, and Yuma races out of the ship and launches herself into his arms. “What have you been doing?” She demands.

Ryoga holds her tightly. “Anything at all I could to get you back to him,” he says.

Yuma starts crying.

“Break it up, we have work to do,” Kite says.

“Go pop your eyeball out with a screwdriver,” Ryoga says, but the way he says it is almost…

“Is that how you flirt with boys?” Yuma asks him.

“Please,” Ryoga says, rolling his eyes.

The five of them make their way down an impossibly long tarmac, until finally a machine that looks like it came from a sci-fi movie comes into view.

“So here it is,” Kite says. “Chris and I made a dimensional teleporter.”

“Shit,” Yuma whispers. It’s huge, absurdly so. It’s circular, with a hollow center, and Yuma shivers as she looks at it.

“Kite!” Chris calls. They all turn to look at him as he marches down the tarmac. “I told you not to get Yuma involved in this.”

“Why the fuck not?” Yuma asks.

“Because,” Chris says, “I knew you would want to use it and Yuma…we just don’t know what will happen. Even if you make it to Astral world, we have no idea if humans can survive there! And even if you get there, we don’t know if you can get back. Then there’s always the possibility that you won’t come back.”

“But that’s why it has to be me,” Yuma says. “You have to test this thing, and there’s no one with more to gain than me, but so many people have more to lose.” She swallows past a lump in her throat. “When I was in the hospital, and even now when I’m alone, all I can think it that I don’t want to live in a world without Astral. I already feel like I’m dead, without him. If anyone brings him back, it has to be me. He’s part of me, I’m the only one who can find him and bring him back.” Tears spill over her cheeks and she wipes them away impatiently. “Besides, my dad left me these coins, if they can get me to Astral world then that’s practically his blessing for me to go! So there, Chris! You’re not the boss of me!”

Rio snorts. “Oh god, Yuma.”

“She’s right though,” Kotori says. She pats Yuma’s shoulder. “If anyone can boss a dimensional teleporter into working, recuse Astral, and come back in one piece, it’s Yuma.”

“Not that this is a democracy, but you’re outvoted,” Ryoga tells Chris.

“By a bunch of children,” Chris sighs.

“And me,” Kite says.

“And me!” Orbital beeps, wheeling out from behind the machine.

Chris throws up his hands. “Fine. Let the record show I tried to stop her.”

Kite asks Yuma for one coin, and he installs it in the machine. Yuma hugs Kotori and Rio, and she kisses Ryoga. She kisses him several times.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” she whispers against his cheek.

Ryoga strokes her hair. “I’m the lucky one,” he says.

Yuma is suddenly anxious, but she pushes that feeling down—she’ll be okay. But just in case…

“If something happens,” Yuma whispers, “Tell my sister and grandma that I’m with mom and dad.”

“I will,” Ryoga promises.

Yuma finally lets go of him, and he smiles at her. She turns and walks to the machine. Kite waits for her.

“We’ll keep this portal open for as long as we can,” he says. “If it closes before you get back—”

“Oh shut up for two seconds,” Yuma says. “I have something to say to you.”

Kite sighs. “What is it?”

Yuma smiles at him. “Thank you.”

Kite looks thrown, and Yuma laughs. She hugs him, a good hug, her arms around his neck, her cheek pressed to his. “Thank you,” she repeats.

Kite hugs her back. Yuma smiles, tears stinging her eyes once more. She leans back and chooses to listen to the little voice in the back of her head, prodding at her to do it, just in case she really doesn’t come back. She kisses Kite, a quick press of her mouth against his.

She laughs as she backs away. “I don’t believe for a second that you just did it for the Numeron code,” she tells him. He’s blushing.

Still laughing, Yuma runs into the dimensional teleporter. She can hear Rio and Kotori whooping behind her. As soon as she steps into that empty space in the machine, a great whirring fills her ears. She turns back to look at everyone. They’re all smiling, even Ryoga. Light gathers around Yuma, and she cups her hands around her mouth. She’s not sure they’ll hear her, but she screams it anyway.

“YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE!”

And as the light overtakes her vision, she hears the callback.

“WHAT BABE?”

Then she’s gone.


	51. I Move the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For my will is as strong as yours and my Kingdom is as great.

Yuma opens her eyes and sees blue. She sits up slowly. Is this Astral world? If so, he was right, it is very blue. She seems to be laying on a beach, as a blue ocean stretches out before her and she’s lying on what feels like sand, even though she’s never seen indigo sand before. She looks left and right. Giant blue crystals jut out of the sand at random. She inhales deeply, but she can’t smell the water. She stands, brushes off her pants, and turns around…and nearly falls over.

“Oh my god,” She gasps, taking in the city that lays behind her. The buildings are like nothing she’s ever seen on earth. Some are shaped like hourglasses, some are conical, and all are blue. They have wide bases and at their narrowest they look like they could be snapped in half by a strong wind. Lights shine through some windows, but Yuma can’t hear a sound.

“What is up with this place?” Yuma whispers to herself, but even a whisper sounds too loud. She takes a step forward and something crunches under her feet. She looks down—dead plants lie where the beach meets the city. Blackened vines cover crumbling structures, and dust swirls along the ground.

“This must have been beautiful, at one point,” Yuma whispers. She kneels and touches the vines at her feet, and suddenly they’re engulfed in a golden light. Yuma shuts her eyes until the glow fades, and when she opens them again, the vines are suddenly a brilliant green.

“Ooookay,” Yuma says. “That was really weird.”

Suddenly she feels like something is burning her leg. She fumbles in her pocket and touches something hot, barely managing to grab it and fling it onto the ground—it’s one of the King’s coins. A light shoots up from it, and in that light Yuma can see an image of her father.

“Yuma, if you see this, it means you made it to Astral world,” her dad’s image says to her.

Yuma’s heart is in her throat. She barely manages not to scream.

“Time is not linear, my dear,” dad says. “I was able to see many things when I first came to Astral world. You have to hurry now, Astral has been marked as Chaos. He will be killed.”

Yuma sways on her feet.

“Don’t panic,” dad says. “You can save him. Your love for him is as strong as any force in this universe. Let your instincts guide you. I can’t tell you much more than that, but I believe in you.”

The image fades. Shaking, Yuma bends and picks up the coin, slipping it back into her pocket. She begins walking. This world is so still, so silent…it’s creepy.

Let your instincts guide you, dad said. “Okay, instinct,” Yuma mutters. “Which way do we go?”

All the buildings look pretty much the same. Yuma turns in a circle, slowly, until she feels a tug in one direction.

“Come on, this way!”

Yuma jumps—Ponta is at her feet, tugging on her pants.

“How do you know? What are you doing here?” Yuma asks him.

Ponta grins at her. “Trust me.”

Does Ponta count as instinct? She chooses to believe so. She follows Ponta past streets and towering structures, all of which look no different than the one before. It’s like the final scene in the Labyrinth, when Sarah is climbing the stairs to nowhere. She bites back a giggle—she can just imagine David Bowie popping up in some entry way. She can almost hear the dramatic instrumental playing.

“How you turn my world, you precious thing,” she whispers. “You starve and near exhaust me.”

Ponta turns down a street. It gets darker. Yuma hugs herself, suddenly not finding any of this funny.

“Everything I’ve done,” she whispers, shivering, “I’ve done for you. I move the stars for no one.” She glances up—she can see stars, but none of the shapes they make look familiar. If she could, she would move the stars for Astral.

Ponta suddenly stops. “Here,” he says, pointing.

This building looks nothing like the rest. It’s smaller, closer to the ground. And the windows…they look like stained glass.

 _“The windows in every building are different colors, and the light that comes in through them makes everything seem like a rainbow,”_  Astral had told her.

Yuma runs to the building and flings open the doors. “Astral?!” She shouts.

Her voice echoes around the room. It’s empty, apart from a large, stone slab and a few dozen columns around the edge. Her heart sinks—Astral’s not here.

“So you’ve arrived,” a soft voice says.

“Ten days!” Yuma cries as she stumbles backward, clutching her chest.

A woman emerges from the shadows—at least, Yuma thinks the being is a woman. But maybe not…Astral said that he didn’t know his gender, and this being sure looks like it could be Astral’s fellow citizen of the world. Their skin is the same color as Astral’s, they have similar gems on their body, but their eyes are pure white and they wear a white dress.

“Who are you?” Yuma asks.

“My name is Ena,” the being responds. “This is a Holy place for us.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in,” Yuma says.

“It’s alright,” Ena says with a smile. “I’ve been waiting for you. Please, come in.”

Yuma steps further into the room. Small balls of light begin floating around her, and Yuma swears she can hear whispering. “What’s happening here?” She asks Ena. “Why is it so quiet? You seemed like you were expecting me, were you expecting me?”

“I was,” Ena confirms. “We all were.”

One of the balls of light suddenly expands and a small person stands beside Ena. Yuma’s jaw drops. All around the room, the lights begin to expand into person after person, but Yuma can tell that something is wrong with these beings. Black lines are etched into their faces, and they look wilted, somehow.

“Yuma, I wonder if you can heal these people,” Ena says.

“Heal them?” Yuma repeats.

Ena nods. “A simple touch of your hand should do the trick.”

The smallest being in the room steps forward and holds out their hand. Yuma kneels and takes hold of it. A golden glow envelopes the person’s body, and when it fades so too have the black lines. Their face looks fuller, their skin luminescent. They smile.

“Wow,” Yuma whispers. “Just like the vines.”

“You have the gift of Chaos,” Ena says.

Yuma manages to laugh. “I wouldn’t call it a gift, but yeah I’ve got lots of Chaos.”

“I need you to share it with them,” Ena says, gesturing to the room at large. “You see, this world is a place for those who have achieved a Rank-up within their soul, and ascended to a higher plane.”

“Nirvana?” Yuma asks. “Enlightenment?”

“Not exactly,” Ena says. “There is no such thing as hatred or evil in Astral world, but not because people chose to give them up. We did have such things, once, but they were expelled, and thus Barian world was created, the opposite of Astral world in every way.”

People continue to approach Yuma. She holds their hands and heals them, but she’s focused on Ena. Ponta fades back into her deck.

“Chaos is the power of desire created for oneself,” Ena continues. “But the God of Astral World believed we could exist without it. Thus, all chaos, all desire, was expelled from this world. But that was a mistake.”

“You’re talking about passion,” Yuma blurts. “How can anyone live without passion? That’s…that’s something that you feel deep in your heart, something that makes you strive to keep going, to push forward despite all odds…!”

“I know,” Ena says. “Without that passion, Astral world became weaker. Even the attempt to Rank-Up is born of desire. Now we are without Chaos, and we are what you see.”

“And you think I can help?” Yuma asks.

“What you are doing now, healing the people, will only do so much,” Ena says. “What you must do is reunite Astral world with Chaos by using the Numeron Code. You and Astral are looking for it, yes?”

“We were,” Yuma says, feeling her heart twist at Astral’s name.

“Then you must revive Astral and continue that search,” Ena tells her. “Now that you have healed everyone, I will send you to Astral. But you will encounter Eliphas, and he wants to destroy Astral as punishment for denying his mission to destroy Barian world.”

“No problem there, then,” Yuma mutters.

Ena holds out her hands. “Come, take my hands.”

Yuma does, and after yet another flash of light, she finds herself standing somewhere completely different. It seems to be a platform, pretty high up, and there’s a towering outcropping of blue crystal soaring towards the sky, with smaller, purple crystals at the front, surrounding a golden alter. And on the alter, floating in a cylinder of light, is Astral.

Yuma gasps. She sobs. She takes a step forward before she stops, horrified. There’s a gaping, black hole on the left side of Astral’s chest, where 96 struck.

“Oh no,” She whimpers. “Astral, you haven’t healed at all…!”

A giant version of the Emperor’s Key floats over Astral, as if waiting to crush him. His face is still, but he doesn’t look peaceful. Yuma wonders if he’s in pain.

Yuma hears a sound from behind her and she turns. A huge person, clothed in gold, stands by the edge of the platform. He looks stern, and even without moving he exudes a grace and power that makes Yuma feel like she should be on her knees before him. She fights that instinct—she bows to no one, especially not this man.

“You must be Eliphas,” she says.

“And you must be Tsukumo Yuma,” Eliphas responds, his voice booming and deep.

Yuma straightens her back and squares her shoulders. “I’ve come to take Astral back to Earth and continue our mission to find the Numeron code.”

“I cannot allow that,” Eliphas says. “Astral world is a place of peace. Astral must be purified of all influence of you. You have tainted him.”

“Tainted him?” Yuma shouts. “How dare you accuse me of such a thing!”

“You introduced him to Chaos,” Eliphas says. “You made him doubt his mission to destroy Barian world. His focus is solely on you.”

“That’s not true,” Yuma contradicts. “Astral’s loyalty is to himself, his focus in on his happiness. I didn’t taint him, I showed him what it is to be alive.”

“He was alive before he met you,” Eliphas says.

“Alive with no free will,” Yuma spits. “You made him to do one thing, destroy Barian world. What kind of a life is that, where one exists only to bring an end to something? For that matter it goes against everything that you say Astral world stands for.”

“Don’t you talk to me about what my world stands for!” Eliphas shouts. The floor shakes.

Yuma stands her ground. “You want peace, but you aim to destroy a world. You, yourself, promote violence. What are you going to do, purify yourself? You have desires. You want things, yet you say your people must want nothing if they want to remain a part of your world.”

“You are a child,” Eliphas accuses.

“Child?” She echoes. “You misunderstand me. I have battled Barians, I have freed people from the influence of Numbers. I have crossed dimensions, I have seen the past, and I have promised people their futures. Does that sound like the actions of a child? Barian world shouldn’t have existed at all, it only does because you made it. And you were, what, surprised when the people you expelled fought back? When they got angry? You call yourself a god, but you’re the one who seems like the child here.”

“I will destroy you,” Eliphas says.

“There you go, threatening violence again,” Yuma says, shaking her head. “You’re such a hypocrite. Don’t you know that there can be no light without darkness? If people don’t know what sadness is, how will they be grateful for happiness? If they’ve never felt alone, how will they learn to cherish those who love them? What you’re giving people is a hollow peace.”

“And you think you can make things better?” Eliphas asks. “How? You think Barian world can ever reunite with Astral world, after all my people have suffered at their hands?”

“Because you created the world that attacked them,” Yuma reminds Eliphas. “I can’t promise perfection, but I can at least give everyone a chance to try and understand each other.”

“Not without Astral you can’t,” Eliphas says. “And as I have said, you’re not taking him with you.”

Yuma flounders briefly, but the words come to her just as she needs them.

“Give me the child,” She says. “Give Astral to me. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to this place beyond the city.” She takes a step forward. “For my will is as strong as yours, and my Kingdom is as great…”

Those words; Yuma has said them countless times, but she’s never really stopped to think about what they meant.

“My Kingdom is as great,” she repeats.

“You have no Kingdom,” Eliphas says. “You are a human girl.”

“No,” Yuma says. She holds her hands over her heart. “My Kingdom  _is_  great.”

“Then where is this Kingdom?” Eliphas asks her.

“It’s here, within me.” She laughs. “It’s in my heart, in my laugh, it’s in every breath I take. All those things, they’re mine because I have passion, both my own passion, and that of others.” She holds out her hands. “Here it is!” She says, delighted. “Here’s my Kingdom. It’s small now, but it will grow. Already it’s growing. Myself, Astral, Kotori, Rio, Ryoga, Cathy, Tetsuo, Tokunosuke, Takashi, Michael, Droite and Gauche and their baby, Kite and Hart, they’re all part of my Kingdom because I love them and I would go to the ends of the earth for them. And I will build them a world where they are free to love, and laugh, and live without fear. All will be welcome in my Kingdom, be they human, or Astral, or Barian. We will have Chaos, but we will also have peace, because we will make efforts to understand each other.” Yuma closes her eyes and imagines it. “More than anything, we will have Hope. Hope for ourselves, but also for each other. We will have Hope for each day we live and each day to come. We will have hope that someday, we will all understand each other.”

Yuma reaches into her deck and pulls out Hope, the card that started it all. “It won’t be my Kingdom alone. It will be the Kingdom of all who live in it,” Yuma says. “We will Rank-Up in our own ways, at our own paces.” A great wind rushes at Yuma, just as it once did in Sargasso, but this wind is warm and welcoming. It encircles Yuma and twines through her fingers, her hair, and her clothes.

“My will is as strong as yours,” Yuma repeats. She opens her eyes and stares at Eliphas. “And this is my Kingdom.” She holds out the card that lead her to Astral. “I build the Overlay network with Aspiring Emperor, Hope!”

A great light bursts from the card.

“I plant the seeds of my Kingdom,” Yuma says. “I summon Aspiring Emperor, Hope Roots!”

A new kind of monster is summoned to the platform. Sleek, powerful, futuristic, it stands between Yuma and Astral. Thousands of white lights converge on the platform. They come from below, and they streak towards Hope Roots. Yuma knows instantly what those lights are—it’s the people of Astral world. Somehow they’ve heard her, and they’ve given her their strength to make her mission happen.

Yuma turns to Astral, her arms outstretched. “Go, Hope Roots! Break 96’s hold on Astral!”

Hope Roots slashes its’ sword through the cylinder of light surrounding Astral, and it shatters. There’s silence, light, and the smell of water.

The silence is drowned by the sound of crystal hitting the ground. The light narrows to a single point, surrounding Astral. Yuma blinks to clear her vision, and she steps towards Astral. The light fades until Astral’s features come into focus. He opens his eyes.

“Astral,” Yuma breathes.

He holds out his hand, and Yuma takes it. He squeezes her hand.

“I knew you would come for me,” he says. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Yuma sobs and launches herself at Astral. “You big jerk!” She weeps, hugging him tightly. “I’ll never let you go again as long as I live! Never again in my entire life! Please don’t ever leave me again!”

Astral hugs her back. He bends his head and whispers into her ear, “I’m so proud of you. I love you, so much.”

Yuma leans back just enough so that she can kiss Astral. She smiles into the kiss, her heart beating fit to burst.

Astral laughs against her mouth. “I can feel your heart pounding, still. What are you thinking about?”

Yuma decides to tease him. She leans back. “About how I kissed Kite before I came here.”

Astral’s jaw drops. “You did?! Well, it’s about time!”

“What time?!” Yuma shrieks, feeling her face heat up.

A sudden crack of lightning makes her jump. “TEN DAYS!” She screams, hands over her chest.

“It seems the time for your reunion is over,” Eliphas says.

Yuma turns to him, suspicious, but he holds out his hands. “Peace, Yuma. Astral World has made a decision and accepted your words. Now I wish to help you achieve your goal.” He hands a card to Astral, and to Yuma, he hands the Emperor’s key, back on the same leather cord she always wore it on. “I will send you back to Earth. Retrieve the Numbers, retrieve the Numeron code. It is even more important now, because Don Thousand has been released.”

“Who?” Yuma asks as she puts the Key back around her neck.

“My brother,” Eliphas says, “And the source of Chaos in Astral World, I banished him and he became the God of Barian world. I sealed him under a poison sea, but it seems someone broke him free.”

“Riiiiiiiiight,” Yuma says. “Okay then, another thing to fight.”

“We can do it,” Astral says.

Yuma grins at him. “I mean, of course,” she says.

“Then go,” Eliphas tells them.

Yuma and Astral join hands. They’re enveloped by red and blue light respectively, and then off they go, soaring through the sky.

“KATTOBINGU!” They shout.

 

* * *

 

Yuma emerges in the center of the dimensional transporter, Astral’s hand in hers. “We’re back!” Yuma shouts happily.

But something’s wrong—Kotori is crying, and she’s being attended to by Kite and Chris…Rio and Ryoga seem to be missing.

“What happened?” Yuma demands.

Kotori runs to her, pushing Kite and Chris aside, and hugs her. “Yuma, Astral thank god! You found each other, you came back, I knew it!” She’s sobbing, clinging to Yuma. “But Yuma, Durbe came here! He grabbed me, he said he would let me go if Ryoga and Rio went with him, and they agreed!”

Yuma looks at Astral and sighs. “I can’t leave that boyfriend of mine alone at all, can I?” She tries to keep her voice light, but she feels sick to her stomach.

Astral touches her cheek. “I am with you every step of the way, Yuma.”

So Yuma turns to Kite, who looks torn between pride and worry. “Get your helicopter, we’ve gotta go,” she says. “We’ll start the search in Heartland, there are some people waiting for Astral there.”


	52. Eyes Can Be So Cruel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma’s heart is doing backflips in her chest. Rio and Ryoga were here, but they left? Even though they knew full well that Yuma would be looking for them? Didn’t they care enough to know if Astral was okay? She’s going to kill them when she finds them.

The reunion is something else. Michael, Thomas, Cathy, Tetsuo, Takashi, and Tokunosuke can all see Astral now. They cry, they take his hands, they hug him and sob all over him (or at least Tokunosuke does), and they do the same to Yuma. But they quickly realize that someone is missing.

“Where’s Rio and Ryoga?” Cathy asks.

Kotori is the one who explains. “We were watching the transporter to see if Yuma was coming back, but suddenly someone grabbed me from behind. It was Durbe, and he said…he said he would only let me go if Ryoga and Rio went with him.” She buries her face in her hands and sobs. “I tried to be brave, I told them not to, I would be okay, but my voice was shaking and I was so scared…”

“It’s not your fault,” Yuma assures her. “My pigheaded boyfriend and Rio would have done it even if you had cussed your head off at Durbe.” She looks around Heartland. “The bigger question is, what the fuck is happening here?” The sky is red, there’s beams of light shooting up from the ground, and several people nearby seem to be channeling a zombie apocalypse movie—but rather than calling for brains, they’re muttering ‘all for Barian world.’

Thomas answers, “Numbers have been falling from the sky and we think Barian world is trying to absorb our world.”

Yuma throws her hands up. “HONESTLY! I leave this place for…how long has it been?”

“Like two days,” Tetsuo says.

“TWO DAYS!” Yuma shouts, “And everything goes to shit!”

Thomas laughs. “Oh Yuma, I have been looking forward to your return. I missed your sense of humor.”

“What do you mean, ‘missed’?” Yuma snaps, “Not like I showed you much of my humor. And by the way, when did you get here?”

“He’s been keeping us from going crazy,” Cathy says. “He’s actually been very helpful.”

“Wonders never cease,” Yuma says. “Okay, let’s get down to business. You guys look out for Ryoga and Rio, I gotta go make sure my sister and grandma are okay.” She takes off running for her house, and as she goes past places she’s seen every day of her life, she can’t help but notice how different everything looks when it’s the end of the world. The same streets she’s walked her whole life no longer feel like home, and it seems to take longer than usual for her to run the same distance.

Yuma finally bursts into her house, relieved that it’s still standing. “Guys I’m home!” She screams.

Something breaks in the kitchen. “Yuma, I swear to god!” Akari screams. She runs into the foyer, and skids to a halt, her mouth wide open. “Wh-who…is that Astral?!”

Yuma looks over her shoulder, where Astral is floating. “You can see him?!” She gasps.

Akari covers her mouth. “Holy cow,” she whispers. “He’s…oh my god.”

Astral holds out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Akari reaches for him, but she can’t touch him.

“Weird,” Yuma says.

Grandma can see Astral too, but also can’t touch him. She offers to pour some tea, but Yuma declines.

“Astral and I kinda have to stop the end of the world out there,” She says. “I was just making sure you guys are okay. Oh by the way, have you seen Ryoga and Rio?”

“Yeah,” Akari says. “They left like, twenty minutes ago.”

Yuma almost chokes on air. “Are you sure? Twenty minutes?!”

“Yup,” Akari says. “Ryoga said to tell you, ‘You remind me of the babe,’ and Rio said to tell you that your boyfriend is a dork.”

Yuma’s heart is doing backflips in her chest. Rio and Ryoga were here, but they left? Even though they knew full well that Yuma would be looking for them? Didn’t they care enough to know if Astral was okay? She’s going to kill them when she finds them.

“Ugh, okay,” Yuma mutters. She dashes upstairs, grabs her backpack full of questionable things, and takes off again.

“Be careful!” Akari yells after her.

While she’s running down the street, Yuma gets a call from Kotori, who informs her that Kite is dueling Heartland’s re-reanimated corpse.

“HOW?!” Yuma screams into the phone.

“I don’t know, but Kite is struggling,” Kotori says worriedly.

Yuma hangs up and looks over at Astral. “You know, when we actually build our Kingdom…wait, did you hear that speech I made?”

“I have vague memories of it,” Astral says. “But I know we are using the Numeron code to build a Kingdom where all are welcome.”

“Good, when we do that we should make ourselves super heroes instead of gods. I feel like a super hero.”

“You are,” Astral says, grinning at her.

Yuma arrives at the river where Kite is dueling. The spectating crowd is on their knees, and Kite is sprawled on the ground.

“What the hell?” Yuma asks, running past her friends, “Why are y’all on the floor?”

“Our bodies just got really heavy,” Cathy groans, “Don’t you feel it?”

Yuma kneels by Kite’s side and heaves him into her lap. “I feel light as a feather,” she says, patting Kite’s cheek. “Wake up Sleeping Beauty, or I might have to kiss you again.”

“AGAIN?!” Tetsuo shouts. “WHAT AGAIN?!”

Kite coughs and chuckles. “What took you so long?” He asks her.

Yuma feels like crying. “Why did you bother dueling him?”

Kite grins. “So you could finish him off, the way you deserve to.”

Yuma manages to smile. “Okay, that’s a good answer.” She hands Kite off to Michael and finally turns to Heartland. “CHRIST IN A HAND BASKET!” She screams, almost falling on her butt.

“What, am I not handsome enough for you?” Heartland asks with a leer. His  _skin_  is  _slipping_  off of his  _face._

Yuma glances at Astral, who looks equally horrified. “That…is not a living thing.”

Yuma duels Heartland, taking over where Kite left off, and she kicks the zombie-man’s reanimated rear into the next century. As his life points drop he screams with rage, but it quickly turns to a scream off horror.

“Hot, it’s hot!” Heartland screams.

Yuma turns to her friends. “Don’t look!” She orders. Most of them do cover their faces, but Kite and the Arclight siblings watch in fascinated horror.

Heartland screams, “Vector-sama!” As his body is engulfed in flames. The fire shoots higher than any normal inferno would, and within the flames Yuma can see a silhouette.

“Don Thousand!” Astral gasps.

“That’s not freaky at all,” Yuma says as Heartland’s screams fade and he’s nothing but a pile of ashes on the sidewalk.

There’s a brief moment of silence, broken when Cathy and Kotori both start sobbing. Yuma goes to them and puts her hands on their shoulders. “There, there,” she says, “That thing wasn’t human, don’t feel sorry for it. Remember, we have bigger things to worry about.”

Kite struggles to his feet, his eyes trained on a spot over Yuma’s shoulder. “What’s that?” He asks.

Yuma turns. There’s a bolt of lightning heading right towards them. “DUCK!” She screams.

They all hit the deck, and Yuma swears that the lightning strikes just feet away from them. Actually, if the explosion of dust that rains down on them is any indication, it did strike feet away from them. Ears ringing, Yuma sits up. She squints through the dust and seven figures begin to take shape on the platform just above them. The hair rises on the back of her neck as she recognizes what, and who, they are.

“Ryoga…Rio?” She gasps. Her mouth has gone dry and she suddenly feels like she’s going to vomit out all of her organs.

Ryoga and Rio are flanked by Durbe, Mizael, Gilag, Alit, and Vector. Her best friends are standing beside Barians. Ryoga is wearing the Barian symbol as a crest around his neck.

“Wh-what’s going on?” Yuma asks. She can feel the shock radiating from her friends.

“I learned something about myself,” Ryoga calls down. “I saw my past. I am Nasch, leader of the Seven Barian Emperors. My sister is Merag, my right hand.”

Yuma feels like she could pass out, but she refuses. She has to know how this happened. “No!” She shouts. “Your name is Ryoga! Rio, you two are my best friends! How can you be standing with…with them?”

“I see I’ve shocked you,” Ryoga says coldly. “Then I’ll show you. Bariarphose!”

“Bariarphose!” The other six echo.

In the flash of light that follows, Yuma reaches into her backpack and pulls out her taser.

When the light fades and seven Barians stand where humans once were, Yuma almost does pass out. She’s seen the other five, but Ryoga and Rio…

Rio is beautiful. White and blue, with pink eyes that shine in her face. Her hair seems to sparkle, her dress looks like it was made from diamonds. She’s like a Queen. And Ryoga…he looks so regal, and strong. He looks like Michelangelo has sculpted him from agate and breathed life into him.

Yuma wants to run. She wants to hide and scream and pray for this to be a dream. But she holds herself up, taser clutched in her hands behind her back. As scary as this is, Ryoga’s message to her rings in her ears. A quote from Labyrinth, the last thing Yuma said to him, Rio, and Kotori before she went to Astral world. That means something to her, and if she’s right…

“This is my true form,” Ryoga says through his mouthless face. “Now, do you believe in me?”

Yuma exhales. “I do believe in you,” she says, theory confirmed.

“Yes, I do,” comes Rio’s voice.

Yuma pulls her arm back and throws the taser at Ryoga. He catches it, and quick as a flash, he aims it at Vector. Vector screams as the shock goes through him, and Ryoga and Rio leap down from the platform.

“SIKE!” Rio screams back at the Barians as she runs to Yuma’s side. Then she laughs, “Oh man, you had me worried for a second there, Yuma!”

“I HAD YOU WORRIED?!” Yuma shrieks, punching Rio’s arm and wincing as it hurts. “Argh, fuck, you had me worried!”

“Sorry,” Ryoga says, jogging to Yuma’s other side.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” Durbe screams. “Nasch, I thought you had come to accept what you were! I thought you were coming back to lead your people! You would really choose her, a mere human, over an entire world?!”

“I’m not choosing Yuma over anything,” Ryoga says, moving to stand in front of Yuma. “There was never a choice for me, because no matter what happened in the past I’ve accepted that Yuma is my future. She’s my best friend, but more than that she’s the person I love more than I ever thought possible.”

“Weak,” Vector wheezes. “There’s no such thing as love.”

He’s still connected to the taser. Ryoga shocks him again. “Besides,” Ryoga continues as Vector writhes, “I could never be on the same side as Vector.”

“What about Barian world?” Mizael shouts. “Yuma and Astral will destroy us with the Numeron code. You’re abandoning us to our deaths.”

“Hey, I never said that!” Yuma shouts. “I just finished telling Eliphas that I’m going for diplomacy!”

“She’s a child,” Alit says scornfully.

“Why does everyone say that like it’s supposed to make me stop what I’m doing?” Yuma mutters.

“She has no idea what she’s doing,” Gilag says. “She spouts worthless nonsense.”

“I’M DATING YOUR KING, ASSHAT!” Yuma screams, “THAT MAKES ME YOUR QUEEN! Or, wait…IT WOULD IF WE GOT MARRIED!”

“Totally!” Rio yells, “And she’s going to marry Astral too, so she’ll be Queen of Barian world and Astral world!”

Yuma feels her face heat up. “One world is enough for me. Besides, Astral isn’t a Prince.”

“Actually, I kind of am, now,” Astral says. “That was what it meant when the citizens of Astral world leant me their power.”

“Shit,” Yuma breathes, “So I’ll be Queen of three Kingdoms?! Oh my god, I gotta study politics in college.”

“What’s the third Kingdom?” Rio asks.

“What is happening?” Tetsuo asks.

“Maybe we should go elsewhere,” Kite mutters from the ground.

“Right, first I have something to say!” Yuma shouts. She walks out from behind Ryoga and stares down the Barians. “I want you to know that none of this is your faults! Barian world and Astral world were once the same place, and through misguided attempts at making a better world, Chaos was expelled from Astral world, and Barian world was created. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Your worlds once existed together, and they can again if you just realize that this war you’re fighting, you’re fighting against people who have had nothing to do with this! You don’t need to absorb the Earth for your people to live fulfilling lives, you just have to give diplomacy a shot!”

“She speaks treason! Kill her!” Vector shouts.

“NOT TODAY!” Tokunosuke screams.

Smoke erupts around them, and Yuma grabs anyone she can and hisses “Scatter!”

Somehow they all manage to stick together. Somehow they all manage to get to an underground parking garage. Somehow, Yuma manages to keep it together until she’s slumped against the Arclight’s ridiculous RV, and only then does she give herself over to hysterics.

“Glad you…found…my smoke bombs,” she manages to tell Tokunosuke between sobs.

“I’m still so confused,” Kotori says, looking between Rio and Ryoga. They’re still in Barian forms.

“Do you want us to leave?” Rio asks Yuma gently.

Yuma shakes her head, hands tight over her mouth. She really might be sick if she keeps thinking of Ryoga and Rio this way, though. They look…

Rio’s eyes fill with tears. “Yuma…it’s me,” she says desperately.

Yuma takes several deep breaths. She feels Astral’s hands on her shoulders. “Go to them,” he tells her.

Yuma’s whole body shakes as she steps forward, towards Rio. Rio waits for her to approach, keeping still. Yuma takes her hands off her mouth and instead places them on Rio’s shoulders. Rio is warm, and though her skin is firmer than it was, it doesn’t feel like rock. She touches Rio’s hair—it’s soft and silky, just like it has been since Yuma first braided it for her, back in kindergarten.

A tear slips down Rio’s cheek. That’s how they met, back when they were toddlers. Rio was crying because Ryoga was in a different class, and she wanted to be with him. Yuma went up to her and took her hand.

 _“I like your dress,”_  Yuma had said.  _“You look like a Princess.”_

Rio sniffled and said,  _“Thank you.”_

Yuma smiled at her.  _“My name is Yuma. I like building with blocks. Want to build with me?”_

Now, Yuma takes Rio’s hand and squeezes it. “You look like a princess,” she says.

Rio sobs, and Yuma hugs her. Yes, she still hugs like Rio—tight, hair in Yuma’s face, and as Yuma inhales she even smells Rio’s perfume.

When Rio releases her, she goes to Kotori and Cathy, and they share their own reunion. Yuma turns her attention to Ryoga. He’s been silent as he watched, but his eyes say a thousand things. He’s scared, hopeful, and sad. He feels terrible, but he’s at peace with himself.

“You knew before now, didn’t you?” Yuma asks him, “You knew you were a Barian.” She can’t help but sound accusing.

Ryoga looks away. “I did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Yuma demands, her voice rising slightly.

“As soon as I accepted it, you lost Astral,” Ryoga says, his voice echoing out of his face. “I just wanted to be there for you. I didn’t want you to…to hate me.”

Yuma shakes her head. “I don’t hate you.”

“You’re afraid of Barians,” Ryoga counters. “You have every right to be, but I don’t want you to look at me like I’m…one of them.”

Yuma is scared. She’s scared of his nails, the points of the armor that seems to grow out of his body, of the way he talks without a mouth. But still…“You told my sister to tell me, and I quote, ‘You remind me of the babe.’”

“What babe?” Ryoga answers automatically.

Yuma laughs and cries at the same time. “It’s you, I know it is,” she sobs. Of course it is, that’s why he told Akari to give her that message. That’s why, when Yuma saw him and Rio standing with the other Barians, she didn’t pass out on the spot.

She goes so close to him that their toes touch, and she cups his face in her hands. His skin is softer there than it was on Rio’s arms. “But how the hell are you supposed to kiss me if you don’t have a mouth?” She asks.

Ryoga closes his eyes. A laugh rumbles from his chest. “Is that what you’re really thinking about?”

Yuma leans in and kisses the space where his mouth would be. It’s strange, but not terrible. She leans back slightly. “What can I say? Kissing is very important to me.”

Ryoga closes his eyes and leans forward until their foreheads touch. “You’re such a nerd,” he says.

Before Yuma can accuse him of being the one who clued her into his true intentions with Labyrinth, a light shoots from the crest on Ryoga’s chest and another one shoots from the Key around Yuma’s neck. The lights collide, and the two of them are blown back. Yuma is out cold before she even hits the ground.

 

* * *

 

_A peaceful Kingdom shattered by war…_

_“Merag, no!” He screams as his sister sacrifices herself to an ancient God…_

_He and Durbe would lead the army to the ends of the Earth if it meant finally destroying Vector and bringing his reign of terror to an end…_

_They pass through wrecked town after wrecked town, anyone who could walk was recruited for the army, and they cared for the sick as best they could, but it was never enough, what kind of King was he?_

_A little girl, with a face like Merag’s…he couldn’t save his sister, but he could save this little girl…she was so young that she didn’t even know her own name. “My mama called me baby,” she sobbed. “I want my mama…”_

_He named her Iris, after the flowers she fell in love with when they finally reached a land that hadn’t been burned to the ground. She called him papa…_

_He battled Vector. He lost…_

_While he had dueled, his army had fought. They had been slaughtered, all of them. And at the edge of the field, he found Iris’ limp body…_

_In the end, he couldn’t save any of them…_

 

* * *

 

Yuma wakes up with tears on her face. She wipes them away and tries to sit up, only to fall back as her entire body protests. “Oww,” she groans.

“Oh, alive are we?” Kite asks.

Yuma looks to the side—Kite is at a computer, tapping away. She looks down at herself—she’s in some kind of hospital-type bed. She looks around—this is Kite’s lair.

“When did we get here?” Yuma asks. “Where is everyone? What happened to the little girl?”

“What girl?” Kite asks. “As for your other questions, about two hours ago and I imagine some of them are at the top of the tower, coordinating some kind of battle strategies. Chris and Thomas are with Ryoga, examining that crest of his. He said it and your Key did some mumbo-jumbo that allowed you to see into each other’s heads. Maybe that’s where you got the little girl from.”

“Why aren’t you with them?” Yuma asks. “Is it wise to let Ryoga be with Thomas? Doesn’t he still want to kill that guy?”

“We have bigger things to worry about than Ryoga’s homicidal feelings towards Thomas. As for why I’m here, I’m gravely injured from Heartland’s duel. Like I can’t handle whatever Barian bullcrap he threw at me,” She can hear him rolling his eyes at that one. “Plus someone has to keep an eye on you.”

“What about the other Barians?” Yuma asks.

“Don’t know,” Kite says. “They’re off the radar.”

“Where’s Astral?”

“Helping with the battle plans, apparently he isn’t connected to the Key like he once was.”

Yuma’s head feels like it’s spinning. “This is a lot to take in,” she says.

“Tell me about it,” Kite says. He hasn’t once looked away from his screen.

“What are you working on?” Yuma asks. “It can’t be battle strategies, since you’re not with that team.”

“Nothing important at the moment,” Kite says.

“Oh what a lie,” Yuma fires back, and Kite actually smiles. “Saw that,” she says. “So try again, what is it?”

“How about…none of your business,” Kite says.

“Am I going to punch you in the face for it?” Yuma asks, “Because if I am, you should tell me now while I’m not at full strength.”

“Please,” Kite scoffs, “You punched me in the face once before and it barely hurt. You think I’m scared of facing you at full strength?”

Yuma laughs and it hurts, but she doesn’t really mind. This is…probably the first conversation she’s had with Kite where it’s just the two of them. It hits her then that she’s barely spent any time with him, but she cares about him very much. At the same time, she hardly knows him. Sure she knows he would do anything for his brother, and he’s kind of a jerk, and he has a huge ego, but he’s witty, smart, up for an adventure, willing to accept the unbelievable, and he wants the people he cares about to be happy. He’s trying to work things out with his dad for Hart’s sake, and after all the shit his dad put him through, it’s just about the least selfish thing he could probably do.

“Hey, Kite?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t talk about it with you, before I kissed you.”

That finally gets Kite to look up from his computer. “Do we have to do this now?” He asks awkwardly. “The world is ending, you know.”

“All the more reason to talk about it now,” Yuma says, “ So we can go out without anything unsaid, just in case. I talked to Astral and Ryoga, before I kissed them,” she continues, “So they would know what it meant, to me, and what we would want from it. So I’m sorry I didn’t with you. At the time it just seemed like the only thing I could do. Because I know you built that teleporter for me. I know that no matter what Chris said, you went into it knowing you were going to fill me in on the plan as soon as you could. And that means a lot, that you went that far for me. I owe you, big time.”

“No you don’t,” Kite says. “I was the one who owed you. And this…doesn’t even begin to pay you back for it.”

“Kite…”

“Let me finish,” he says. “You’re the one who wants us to go out without anything unsaid, right?”

Is he blushing?? Yuma bites down on the inside of her cheek so she won’t gasp.

“I know I didn’t give you any reason to like me, or trust me, when we first met. But the fact that you still wanted to help Hart, and you were willing to work with me to do it…all that stuff you did in the WDC, you did it without a second thought. I thought you were being high and mighty, like…trying to get me indebted to you, at first. I was so wrong, I can’t believe I ever thought of you like that.” He gives her a sharp look. “And it irritates me to no end, even now. You really threw yourself into that whole mess with Faker and Tron and even Astral without really thinking through the consequences to yourself, didn’t you? I thought you had no sense of self-preservation. That, I was right about. I don’t know why you…you give yourself away like that. It’s going to actually get you killed one day, your need to help others. You nearly died like, three times just in the last 24 hours.”

“Are you still flirting with me?” Yuma asks.

“Yeah, and don’t even get me started on how you respond to stress,” Kite sighs. He gets up and walks over. He sits on the edge of Yuma’s bed. “You are infuriating,” he says. “And yet, for some reason I like having you around. I want to be there when you finally stop saving the world and get back to being…just Yuma. If you have to bring peace to the whole universe for that to happen, I’ll help you with that. And maybe after that we can, I don’t know, talk?”

“Talk,” Yuma repeats with a smile. “Like friends?”

“At least at first,” Kite says. “No matter how much of a child you insist you are not, the fact remains that you are fourteen and dating two people, and I’m eighteen and I’ve got stuff to work through. So maybe when you get a little older and settled into your current relationships, and I get my issues resolved, we can revisit kissing.”

“Would the dating two people thing be a deal breaker for you?” Yuma asks him.

“After everything else? Hell no,” Kite says. “And for the record, I’m not upset at you for kissing me.”

Yuma lets out a sigh of relief. She feels like she can finally relax, and she realizes then just how tired she really is. She tries to hide that as she reaches for Kite’s hand. He takes it and squeezes it gently. He’s smiling.

“I wish you would smile more,” Yuma says. “It changes your whole face. Not that you’re any less infuriatingly handsome when you’re not smiling. You know the first night I saw you, when I screamed at you and stopped, all I could think was that you were so hot.”

Kite snorts. “I want you to know that I had tennis elbow after that duel, because you yanked my arm back and forth.”

“You anchored my arm to yours,” Yuma retorts, barely managing to get it out before she yawns.

“Go to sleep,” Kite says. “You’ve had a long day, and you’re going to need your wits about you.”

It has been a long day. She just got back from Astral world, Ryoga and Rio are Barians, and she likes Kite a lot more than she set out to. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m asleep,” Yuma mutters as she closes her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM SHAKALAKA


	53. Causality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “WHOMST?!” Yuma shouts as light collides with the deck and the ship shakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We continue to disregard most of canon.

When Yuma wakes up she’s alone in Kite’s lair. She wraps her blanket around her shoulders and makes her way to the elevator. Kite didn’t specify which floor the others were on, but she guesses it’s the observation center. She pats her pockets as the elevator rises—she’s missing her phone and her D-gazer, and she has no idea what time it is or how long she’s been out.

When the elevator doors open, the first thing Yuma sees is Barians. Of course she remembers that Ryoga and Rio are now Barians, but it still sends a shock through her to just see them, and she almost falls over.

“Yuma!” Rio cries.

Astral floats over and puts his hands on Yuma’s shoulders. “I’m okay,” Yuma assures him. “I was just…startled.”

But it’s not just Astral, Ryoga, and Rio in the room. Kotori is there, as are Cathy, Takashi and Tokunosuke. It’s still a lot less people than they started out with, and almost everyone looks pale and emotionally drained. Yuma is instantly on edge—those aren’t good looks in battle.

“Where is everyone?” Yuma asks. “And most of all, where’s Kite? I thought he was on bed rest, too.”

“Oh, she’s up,” says a voice that sends Yuma into a blind panic.

“FUCK!” She screams, whirling around and putting her fists up. “WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?!”

Durbe narrows his eyes at her. “I see you still lack manners.”

Yuma bares her teeth and gets ready to snarl something  _really_  rude, but Rio hurries over and steps between her and Durbe.

“Easy now,” Rio tells Durbe, “Last time she saw you, you weren’t on our side.”

“He’s on our side now?!” Yuma wheezes, and this time she really does fall over.

“Drama queen,” Durbe says.

“Shut up,” Ryoga snaps, and Durbe actually flinches.

“Durbe came here not long after we arrived, actually,” Rio says. “Kite has some kind of force-field around the tower that’s keeping the Barians out, but he let it down to let Durbe in.”

Yuma looks over Rio’s shoulder at Durbe. “So what made you come here?” She asks.

“Not you,” he says. “I swore my loyalty to Nasch in both my lifetimes, and I’m not about to fight against him.”

“Okay,” Yuma says. “That’s…comforting, I guess.” She can’t say it makes her like Durbe any more than she did previously. “What about the others?”

“Gilag and Alit have all but become puppets to Vector,” Durbe says, and Yuma swears his lip would curl if he had a mouth. “Mizael only cares about Kite.”

“Oh yeah, back to that,” Yuma says, “Where is Kite?”

At that, everyone looks uncomfortable.

“What?” Yuma demands.

Kotori clears her throat. “Kite has…gone to the moon.”

Yuma stares at her. “Okay…he was fine when I last saw him. I guess the stress finally got to him?”

“Huh?” Tokunosuke asks.

“What are you talking about?” Ryoga asks.

“I mean, I don’t think you mean he’s high,” Yuma says, “That’s what I first thought of when you said ‘gone to the moon,’ so I assume you mean he’s kind of cracked under the pressure.”

Ryoga closes his eyes. “No, Yuma. We mean he’s literally gone to the moon.”

Yuma can feel her brain freeze. “No he didn’t.”

“This is your hero,” Durbe mutters.

“He doesn’t have a space ship!” Yuma cries, “What—how could he—stop messing around!”

“We’re not,” Kotori insists, “He says that there’s a temple housing a Numbers card on the moon, and it’s the key to the Numeron code!”

“That is crazy,” Yuma says. “That is legitimately the craziest thing I have ever heard. We’ve had manned explorations to the moon, there’s no temple up there!”

“There is now,” Cathy says. She grabs a tablet and taps on it for a few seconds before handing it to Yuma. “See for yourself.”

Yuma takes the tablet. There are photos of the moon, and there…does look to be some kind of structure there. “How?!”

“Like the ruins, I guess,” Astral offers. “Some of them seemed to come from nowhere, too. Like Jinlong’s ruins, and the ones where Rio and Ryoga found their memories."

“And Kite went there, to this temple on the moon?” Yuma clarifies. “Alone? Despite being injured?”

“Yeah,” Ryoga says.

“AND YOU LET HIM?!” Yuma screeches.

“We kind of didn’t have a choice,” Rio says. “The Numbers card seems to be a Dragon, like Galaxy Eyes.”

“Don’t say that too loud!” Yuma gasps, looking around, “Mizael might hear you!”

“Uh, about that,” Kotori says, “You see, to keep Mizael from noticing that Kite was leaving…Chris and Michael are dueling him.”

“What?” Yuma asks feeling like her stomach fell on to the floor.

“There’s more,” Rio says sadly. “Yuma…we’ve lost Tetsuo and Thomas.”

Yuma sways on her feet. “What do you mean lost?!” She demands.

“We started moving people into the tower,” Kotori says, tears springing to her eyes. “Vector, Gilag, and Alit tried to attack. Thomas challenged Vector to a duel, and Tetsuo and Roku challenged Gilag and Alit. We got everyone who hadn’t already been affected by Barian world into the tower, including your sister and grandma, but…the three of them lost the duels. Their souls were—”

“NO!” Yuma screams, clapping her hands over ears. “No, no, NO! Don’t you dare tell me that!”

It can’t be, it just can’t be! She may not have liked Thomas but she didn’t want him dead, and certainly not for him to go against Vector! Roku, he was grandma’s friend, he was a great duelist, he was a good person! And Tetsuo…he was one of her best friends. He was always pushing her to go further, he egged on her craziest ideas, he laughed at her rude jokes, and he did his best to look out for her.

 _You’re fire and brimstone for sure, so no one’s really surprised you grew fangs, but you could come up to me with two mouths full of fangs and nails like hawk talons and I’d still be like, ‘We riding our boards to school tomorrow or what?’_  He’d said that to her after she told him about what happened in Sargasso. It was just like him, and it was exactly what she’d needed to hear. Did she ever tell him how much that meant to her? Did she ever thank him for being such a great friend?

Yuma thinks she blacks out for a few seconds. Maybe she forgot to breathe, maybe her whole body just shut down. When she comes back to her senses she’s on the floor, curled in the fetal position, and she’s got her hands over her face with her nails digging hard into the skin.

“Easy,” Astral tells her. He’s bent over her and whispering in her ear, “They did this for you, so that you could have the Numeron code and use it to make everything right. You will see them again, their sacrifice will not be in vain.”

Yume unhooks her nails from her skin. She sits up. She’s shivering, she’s lost her blanket, and she feels lightheaded, but she’s got one thought in her mind.

“This ends today,” she says. “One way or another, I will end this. I’m going to Barian world.”

“Whoa,” Tokunosuke gasps. “Yuma…”

“No,” Ryoga says, “You’re not ready, and that place isn’t for humans—”

“I,” Yuma snarls, getting to her feet, “Do not give a single fuck. I am going for Don Thousand. If I get to him maybe I can stop all of this.”

“Then we’re coming with you,” Rio says. “All three of us,” she adds, looking at Durbe and Ryoga.

“It’s a suicide mission,” Durbe says. “It’s, Don Thousand is a god, he has powers beyond anything you can understand. We don’t even know where he is!”

“My will is strong and my Kingdom is great,” Yuma says. “He has no power over me.”

“This isn’t a movie!” Kotori screams, “This is your life!”

“And if I don’t face Don Thousand then what was all of this for?!” Yuma screams right back. “All of it, from meeting Astral to battling Tron and Faker and all those other people in the WDC, all the Numbers I’ve collected, all the times I dueled a Barian! I have been to Sargasso, I have gone to Astral world, I matched wits with Eliphas and he was a god, and I won against him! I have gone through too much to, to allow myself to believe that Don Thousand is no match for me! I can do this!”

There’s a moment of silence. No one dares to so much as move.

“But first,” Yuma adds, “I want to call Kite. Somebody patch me through to him.”

Tokunosuke all but trips over himself to do just that. He hands Yuma and earpiece and a microphone, which Yuma calmly accepts and attaches to her body. There’s the sound of ringing, then Kite’s voice asks, “What do you want?”

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING YOU SONUVABITCH?!” Yuma shrieks into the microphone. “YOU LEFT FOR THE MOON?! AFTER I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO ANYTHING STUPID?! YOU TURN YOUR ASS AROUND RIGHT THIS MINUTE AND LEAVE THE NUMBERS TO ME, YOU UNDERSTAND?”

Her throat hurts from how shrill her voice got. Takashi is actually covering his ears, and Ryoga looks to be considering following his lead.

“I’m not turning around,” Kite says. “I have to do this.”

“WHY?!” Yuma demands. “Is this about your stupid dragon contest with Mizael?! Is it worth your life?”

“No but it’s worth yours,” Kite snaps.

“Take that back!” Yuma shouts. “You take that back right now! It’s my life, I get to decide what it’s worth, and I don’t want it to be worth this…!” She breaks off sobbing. She falls to her knees. “Please, you have Hart! What about him and your dad? Mizael is going to follow you, he’s going to challenge you for the Number, he’s going to kill Michael and Chris to do it! If you tell me that’s all for me, I’ll…” she has no idea what she’ll do.

“Listen to me,” Kite says, “You’re the only one who can be trusted with the Numeron code. You’ve fought your way through the Labyrinth, you have a Kingdom to build. This Number is the key to that code, you need it to make that Kingdom a reality. So even though it’s you who has to make this happen, it’s not just for you, it’s for the lives of everyone who’s fighting for this.”

“Stop making sense,” Yuma sobs. “You’re hurt, you’re going to the fucking moon and you’re going to fight someone. You accuse me of having no sense of self-preservation! Aren’t you scared?”

“Of course,” Kite says.

Well, she didn’t expect him to admit it that easily.

“Then why…?”

“I went back to Jinlong’s ruin and I found the legend of the Numeron code,” Kite says. “It’s not like the religions of Earth at all. According to the legend, in the beginning there was one dragon, a great beast who used all its power to create the universe. And I mean all of its power, so it would never be able to see the universe it created. As it died, it shed a single tear. The tear contained the essence of the dragon, all of its knowledge, all of its emotion, all of what it had used to create the universe. After many eons the tear collided with a planet. That planet was earth, and in the collision a piece of the earth broke off and became the moon.”

“So the Numeron code…it’s on the moon?” Yuma asks.

“Not quite,” Kite says. “But certainly some clue to it is. I know it, Jinlong knew it, and my Galaxy Eyes knows it. After all, Galaxy Eyes is a dragon, it must feel some kind of connection to this original dragon.”

Yuma closes her eyes and rubs her temples. “I hope that dragon kicks your ass for the days you are shaving off of my life.”

“Oh?” Kite asks, and he has the nerve to sound amused, “And what about the days you’re shaving off my life as you go looking for Don Thousand?”

“How did you know about that?!” Yuma asks.

“You’re in my house, and there are Barians in it,” Kite says, “I’ve been listening in on everything that has gone down since I left.”

“Creep,” Yuma and Ryoga accuse at the same time.

Kite laughs. “You know it. Now go kick some ass, you guys.”

“As if I need your encouragement,” Yuma mutters, tears coming to her once more. “You better come back in one piece.”

“You too,” Kite says.

Yuma hangs up, sniffles, and gets to her feet. “Right then, all aboard the airship. Not you,” She says to her human friends, “You all need to hold down the fort here, keep the people calm. Take care of Hart, and my family.”

Cathy, Takashi, and Tokunosuke all look to Kotori. She stares Yuma down. “I’m going with you.”

Yuma looks at Rio, who shrugs. “You can’t really stop her.”

So Yuma holds out her hand for Kotori to take. “Let’s go then.”

 

* * *

 

The ship encounters turbulence as soon as they enter range of the moon’s surface. Orbital unstraps from his seat and manages to wrap Kite up in an astrosuit just before the ship crashes into some kind of monolith and explodes. Kite lands on his feet, immediately bounds off the moon’s surface, and floats gently up a few feet. He squints at the monument—it’s still kind of hard to see—and can just make out the winding shape of a dragon’s body. The dragon covers the monolith, its body looping around several times. It must have been an enormous creature.

The monolith is at the north edge of a crater, and smaller, though no less impressive, obelisks rise at regular intervals all around the crater. Each is inscribed with a different kind of symbol. Kite sees water, fire, wind, plant life, and more. This is certainly the place he’s been searching for.

“Orbital, my deck,” Kite says.

The robot mutters and Kite feels it shifting to accommodate his request. His deck slides out of a slot in the arm of the suit, and he separates Galaxy Eyes from it. The dragon is extremely agitated, and Kite has a feeling he knows why.

“I sense an energy approaching us,” Orbital says.

The key to unlocking the Numeron code has been written on the very soul of every dragon to have ever been born, or so Jinlong had said. The dragons of light and time must battle at the place of the creator’s birth. Photon and Tachyon—light and time. So in the end, it had to be Kite. Galaxy Eyes photon dragon would obey no other duelist, so Yuma could never have fought this battle. Of course, he couldn’t tell her that. Kite smiles to himself, thinking of how Yuma would respond. ‘Just tell Galaxy Eyes to listen to me! It’s a card, I just have to battle with it!’

Kite looks down at the so-called card. Maybe she wouldn’t have said it like that, especially not after she felt the power of the Numbers. Kite has known since he came to command the dragon that it was nothing as simple as a mere card. Every time he touched it he felt the power of the dragon within it. If Galaxy Eyes wanted to fight, he had to let it.

A bolt of light shoots down into the crater, and from the light Mizael emerges.

Kite feels sick—Chris and Michael must have given their lives.

“So, here you are,” Kite says.

“Here I am,” Mizael agrees. “Now, we find out which one of us is the true dragon master.”

 

* * *

 

When Alit collides with the airship, Yuma fights back the urge to take the steering wheel and turn the whole damn machine upside down, sending the bastard plummeting to the depths of…whatever the depths of a wormhole are.

“What do you want?” She asks through gritted teeth.

“A duel,” Alit says, “With you.”

Yuma stares him down. “I’ll duel you, but Alit, I want to ask you something.”

Alit scoffs. “I hope it’s halfway intelligent.”

“What would your Prince think if he could see you now?” Yuma thinks. “Surely you must know that the memories you saw at the ruins are true. You were human, and the Prince of your kingdom was in love with you. You were equals in strength, and I imagine that your Prince wanted to make you equals in status as well. You used to battle fairly, only for sport and the pure joy of it. Now you use your wit and strength to do what? Destroy entire worlds? What happened to the honorable warrior I read about in the walls of that coliseum?”

“LIES!” Alit shrieks, “My past was wretched! I was executed in that coliseum! My so-called ‘lover’ watched it happen!”

Yuma frowns. “He did? That makes no sense.”

“Shut up!” Alit screams. “Shut up and fight me!”

 

* * *

 

Kite’s vision is barely cooperating with him. He hisses at Orbital to run diagnostics on his head. in the meantime, he’s able to summon his Galaxy Eyes on his first turn. The dragon’s power radiates through the space around him, briefly granting him just a little more strength.

“You are still suffering from your earlier concussion,” Orbital reports. “It was only made worse by the space travel. Your body has not yet recovered from the damage dealt to you when you dueled Heartland. I fear that if this duel lasts too long, it will be your last.”

Kite closes his eyes, but not for long. He didn’t tell Yuma just how terrible that duel had been, not only psychologically, but physically. Between the heaviness of his body and the shocks that Heartland sent at him…he’s amazed he’s still standing at all, even if it is with great difficulty.

“Kite-sama, please,” Orbital begs.

“Don’t you dare breathe a word of this to Yuma,” Kite snaps.

He will see this duel through.

 

* * *

 

Yuma stares at Numbers 105. “Wow, bringing out the big guns so early?” She asks.

Alit laughs. “I can feel it now, the merging of Earth and Barian world. I can feel it in this Number, Don Thousand is growing ever stronger.”

“How do you know that?” Yuma blurts.

“Because this card’s power comes from Don Thousand, of course,” Alit says. “I can feel him through it.”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Wait…Don Thousand created the over 100 Numbers?!”

“Boy are you slow,” Alit scoffs. “Durbe, Ryoga, and Rio are doomed for siding with you.”

Ryoga yells something, but Yuma can’t hear it—her ears are ringing and she’s got tunnel vision. Don Thousand created this card, Numbers 105, the card that symbolizes Alit as a Barian. Don Thousand is the God of Barian world, the God of Chaos, essentially.

“Did Don Thousand make you reincarnate as an Emperor of Barian world?” Yuma asks.

Yes, of course,” Alit says. “He saw my suffering and gave me a chance at new life, in a world where I held power.”

“No!” Yuma shouts, “Oh my god, I get it now! He manipulated you, he manipulated all of you! Somehow, he threw off every—it all makes sense! The Knights who suddenly turned on Durbe, Gilag turning on Ponta, the villagers who turned on the dragons, the Prince turning on you! I bet he made Vector attack Ryoga, Rio, and Durbe’s kingdom! Don Thousand literally engineered the deaths of all the Emperors in the worst way possible so they would be reborn full of rage and chaos!” She points at Alit. “I BET HE INFECTED YOUR PRINCE!”

Alit seems to waver, he even lowers the arm with his duel disk, but suddenly he clutches his head and screams. “No! I won’t let you trick me!”

“He’s doing it again!” Yuma cries, “Oh it is so on, I am going to beat Don Thousand right out of your head!”

 

* * *

 

Kite allows Orbital to become his eyes and assist his movements. The robot doesn’t comment on how dire the situation must be for Kite to accept his help, but he doesn’t need to.

When Ryoga recovered from the blast between his and Yuma’s pendants, he reported that he had seen what Yuma did on Astral world. He had turned to Astral and asked if it was true, that Yuma was going to build her own heaven.

“Not heaven,” Astral corrected, “A Kingdom.”

Ryoga had laughed, and Kite had seen tears in his eyes—it was a sight he would never forget, a Barian shedding tears. “Her Kingdom as great,” he had said, laughing and crying at the same time. “She got that from a fanfiction!”

Ryoga had told them more of what he’d seen of Yuma’s vision, and wherever her inspiration had come from, it was a beautiful dream. A place of understanding, where all were welcome as long as they made that effort. It was a vision that Kite believed in with his whole heart, and he would gladly die for it.

Hopefully though, he wouldn’t have to.

“Come forth, Numbers 62!” He screams.

 

* * *

 

Upon Alit’s defeat, he lies unconscious, in his human form, on the deck of the airship. Yuma runs to him. “You back?” She asks his limp body.

Alit groans and opens his eyes. “You were right,” he says weakly. “I saw it, I saw everything. It was Don Thousand, he did all of this.”

“I am so smart,” Yuma mutters.

Alit sits up. He sees Ryoga and his eyes widen, and he kneels. “My Emperor,” he gasps, “I’m…I’m so…”

“Don’t,” Ryoga says quietly. “It’s not your fault.”

The Barian Emperors share a reunion, and Yuma runs to Astral. “We have to find out what exactly Don Thousand did to Vector,” she says. “I still say something about his legend was extremely off.”

But before the ship can even get moving again, they’re visited once more.

“WHOMST?!” Yuma shouts as light collides with the deck and the ship shakes.

“Gilag!” Alit, Ryoga, Rio, and Durbe scream.

Yuma throws up her hands. “Of course.”

“This battle is mine,” Alit says, stepping forward. “I’ll knock some sense back into my friend.”

“And I’ll help,” shouts Yuma’s pocket. She shrieks and flings her deck out of her pocket, and Ponta leaps from his card. Yuma scrambles to hand the card to Alit and then retreats to clean up the rest of her deck.

“Ten days,” she mutters to herself. “Fucking ten days off my life.”

 

* * *

 

“Kite-sama,” Orbital wheezes, “Will you tell my darling Lillybot that I fought as best I could?”

“No,” Kite says through gritted teeth, “You’ll tell her yourself and I’ll build the two of you little robot babies.”

This is most likely his last turn. He’s withstood Tachyon dragon’s attack, and now he brings Numbers 62 back to his field.

“Tell me,” Kite says to Mizael, “Why do you tame dragons?”

“They saved me,” Mizael says. “My village burned, and Tachyon dragon saved me.”

“But why tame them?” Kite asks. He looks up at Galaxy Eyes. “I understand now,” he says. “Such a creature as this one could never be tamed, and I don’t want to tame it. Earn its’ trust? Absolutely. But I could never tame this…this great beast, nor would I want to.” He closes his eyes. “Old friend, I once used you, and that was the biggest mistake of my life. I beg you, help me—not for my personal gain, but so I can somehow be the kind of person Yuma thinks I am.”

The dragon roars, and strength surges through Kite’s body. Truly, this is the last turn.

 

* * *

 

“My friend, remember your life!” Ponta cries at Gilag.

“Direct attack!” Alit screams.

Gilag screams as he’s blown back and his life points drop to zero.

Yuma holds her breath. Gilag sits up, tears in his eyes. “My friends,” he sobs.

Ponta lets out a shout of joy. Alit smiles and takes off at a run to Gilag…

A shadowy tendril shoots out of Gilag’s chest and continues right across the deck, spearing through Alit.

Yuma screams. Kotori screams. Alit and Gilag make no sound, but their faces show pure agony. Ponta screams and latches onto Gilag.

A dark laugh comes from the very air around them. “Useless to the end,” a deep voice says. “I gave you life in the first place, and now I reclaim it.” A shadow emerges from the wormhole, the shadow of Don Thousand, and the tendril that passes through Gilag and Alit is connected to him.

Yuma runs to the pair, reaching, what she can possibly do for them she doesn’t know, but she has to try…

Don Thousand sucks Gilag, Ponta, and Alit’s bodies into his own, and he disappears. Yuma slams into the edge of the deck. She leans over the edge and vomits into the wormhole’s depths.

 

* * *

 

Kite raises Numbers 62’s attack to 8000. In the ensuing explosion, Mizael reverts to his human form and goes flying backwards as his life points fall to zero. Kite falls to his knees.

A card flies from Mizael's chest. A card flies from Kite's chest. Numbers 107, 46, and 62 float above Kite and Mizael. The five cards begin to spin, casting a bright golden light, and from that light comes a bolt of lightning which strikes the moon's surface.

Numbers 100 is beautiful, majestic, and truly enormous. Kite can barely stand to look at the great beast, and it’s not just because his vision is blurring and his chest hurts.

The dragon coils around Kite, and he leans into it. “Please,” he whispers.

“Child of Dragons,” a voice rumbles, “What is it you wish?”

Kite can only think of one thing—one person.

“Yuma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](https://archiveofourown.org/works/170403/chapters/248828) is the fanfiction Ryoga references. I actually was planning for Yuma to build her own sort of afterlife, but this story is so good I just had to put it in there and recommend it for y'all.


	54. Efficacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kite cups his hands around Yuma's cheeks. “Listen to me,” he says, “I know you want to give up now, and you can. No one is forcing you to do this, and sure you feel like you have to, but the fact is that you’ve had free will this whole time. You’ve chosen, time after time, to put the fate of the world in your own hands...”

Yuma sobs so hard that she can’t breathe, and she can’t make a sound. Every part of her is telling her to turn back, go home and go to bed, just stay there until the world ends. Watching Alit and Gilag die was horrific, it will haunt her for the rest of her life, and the worst part is that she has to face their murderer for all of this to end.

Ryoga holds her, trying to calm her down. “There was nothing you could have done.”

Yuma knows that, she does, and that’s not the worst part—the worst part is the pain she saw on their faces before they were absorbed by that thing.

Lost in her misery as she is, she can’t miss the light that suddenly surrounds the airship. For a heart stopping moment she thinks it’s another attack, but this light is soft and golden, and it winds around and around the ship until it takes shape—the shape of a truly enormous dragon.

The dragon’s glowing head lowers to the ship’s deck. Slowly the light fades, and someone steps down from the dragon’s head.

“Kite,” Yuma gasps.

He’s beautiful, and he’s alive. The dragon lets out a roar and fades away. Yuma gets to her feet and hugs Kite as tightly as she can.

“I did it,” Kite murmurs, “I won, I’ve got the key to the Numeron code.”

Yuma sobs again. “Kite, I’m so sorry, I don’t…don’t think I can do this.”

Kite leans back slightly. “What happened?”

Yuma shakes her head—she can’t say it. Kotori is equally as hysterical, Rio is trying to comfort her. Durbe ends up breaking the news.

“Alit and Gilag were here. We got through to them, but Don Thousand…he attacked them. He killed them.”

Yuma gags, but she has nothing left to throw up.

Kite’s hold on Yuma tightens. “Are you hurt?”

How can she answer that?

Astral says, “She’s in shock. She watched them die…it was horrific.”

Kite cups his hands around Yuma's cheeks. “Listen to me,” he says, “I know you want to give up now, and you can. No one is forcing you to do this, and sure you feel like you have to, but the fact is that you’ve had free will this whole time. You’ve chosen, time after time, to put the fate of the world in your own hands. This time you’re not alone. I’m here, Astral is here, Ryoga and Rio and Durbe are here. We’re going on, so if you want to go home, you can, and I mean that.”

Yuma inhales deeply, and lets it out slow. She could go home, but she won’t. She wipes her face and shakes her head. “I’m not going home,” she says. “I’m going to fight Don Thousand with you.”

Kite smiles. “That’s right.” He holds out one hand to Ryoga, taking Yuma’s hand with the other. Ryoga comes over and takes Kite’s offered hand, and Yuma’s other.

“Just like how we faced Don Thousand last time,” Ryoga says.

“I thought that was Vector?” Kite asks.

“I’m not convinced of that,” Ryoga says.

On the other side of the deck, Kotori stands. Yuma abandons the boys and runs to her.

“How are you feeling?” She asks Kotori.

Kotori is clinging to Rio, but she puts on a brave face. “I’ll be okay,” she vows.

So Yuma looks to Astral. “Let’s continue on our way.”

This ship moves once more, and Yuma turns to Kite. “Where’s Orbital?”

“With Lillybot I imagine,” Kite says. “By the way, I promised him I’d make robot babies for them.”

Yuma gasps. “Oh that would be the cutest thing ever!”

 

* * *

 

Barian world is nothing like Astral world, but Yum has a feeling that it isn’t always full of lightening, dark clouds, and the overwhelming feeling of despair. Or maybe that last thing is just Yuma’s paranoia.

“So, here you are.”

Yuma jumps and looks over to where the voice came from—it’s Mizael.

“Made it alright, then?” Kite asks.

“Sure,” Mizael says with a shrug. “It’s only the end of the world, you know.”

The Barian emperors greet each other, and Yuma looks back at Kite. “You didn’t mention Mizael was alive.”

“What did you think, I had absorbed him?” Kite asks.

Actually, it wouldn’t have surprised her.

“Yuma,” Ryoga says, “Go look around.”

“Excuse me?” She asks.

“You wanted to understand Barian world before you built your kingdom, didn’t you?” Ryoga asks. “Go have a look at my kingdom.”

“What about Vector?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga looks to Rio, Mizael, and Durbe. “He belongs to us.”

So Yuma turns to Kotori, Astral, and Kite. “You three feel like coming?”

They agree, and Yuma digs a flashlight and her taser out of her bag. She gives the taser to Kotori and holds the flashlight like it’s a lifeline as the ship beams them down to the land. The Barians are able to fly off, and none of them say goodbye—it’s  _not_  goodbye.

Yuma leads the way through the land. The ground is red, and just like in Astral world there are growths of crystal shooting out of the ground randomly. But this crystal is red and looks like frozen fire. In its own way, the world is just as beautiful as Astral world, but it feels horrible.

“Is that the palace?” Kotori whispers.

A huge structure looms on the horizon, all dark red and purple. Half of it is crumbling, and Yuma sure hopes that the damage is recent, and the Barians weren’t living in a ruined palace for the Aesthetic.

“Let’s go find out,” Yuma says.

As they walk, they start to hear the beginnings of a duel in the distance. Yuma ignores it outwardly, though her heart picks up speed as she thinks of her friends, even Durbe, facing Vector.

They climb to the entrance of the palace. There’s a huge throne in the first room, it’s made entirely of crystal and looks wretchedly uncomfortable. There’s two hallways leading off the room, and the one on the left seems to tug at Yuma’s attention a little more, so she heads that way. She keeps walking past doors and open rooms, turning corners, and finally she ends up at a staircase that leads down.

“Where are we going?” Kite finally asks.

Yuma shrugs and flicks on her flashlight. “I’ll know when I get there.”

This feels awfully familiar. The air is cold, the stairs are dark, and there’s a dampness surrounding this place, though the air outside was bone dry. The staircase spirals down, down, and Yuma reaches out to trail her fingers along the walls. She expected them to be as wet and cold as the air, but they’re actually kind of warm and definitely dry.

Suddenly Yuma feels something under her fingers and she looks at the wall. Something is etched into it. She turns her flashlight on the wall and gasps—there are claw marks in the stone, and they spell something out.

“I’m sorry,” Yuma reads.

It’s written in dozens of languages, most of which Yuma can’t read, but she can sense the sentiment.

“This is creepy,” Kotori says.

Yuma goes down further—drawings soon join the writings. Crude stick figures with X’s for eyes, some of them wearing what looks like armor, some smaller, some seemingly torn in half.

Eventually the stairs lead into a huge cavern, where even more figures have been left on the walls. Some etched in, some painted on. Yuma turns in a circle, aiming her flashlight all around and as high as the light will go. The walls are covered, and the drawings get increasingly abstract, sloppy, and indecipherable, but it seems like all the pictures tell the same story, over and over.

Yuma starts at the series of paintings she can most readily see. “There’s a King,” she says, staring at the figure with a crown. The figure is joined by a woman. “He has a queen.”

The queen has tears drawn on her face. “She’s unhappy.”

The queen holds a baby and smiles. The baby, a boy, grows up, and the queen is always by the child’s side. Occasionally the king is drawn near the queen and prince. The King is angry, the king seems to beat the queen while the prince hides. The king hands the prince a sword. The king puts the prince on a horse. The prince falls off the horse and is hurt, but while the queen cries, the king looks angry.

The king leaves the kingdom. The prince and the queen are alone, and they’re happy. They play together, and the queen shows the prince how to find stars, how to heal injured animals, and how to talk to people. The prince grows up.

The King is injured and returns, confined to his bed. The prince is handed a crown. The prince stands on a tower, surrounded by people. Yuma pauses by that scene. The Prince smiles, the people are smiling. It seems to be a happy scene. Ships are shown on the ocean, with the word ‘home’ scrawled under them.

“The prince ended the war that his father started,” Yuma says. “He called the soldiers home.”

In the next scene, the prince and queen stand beside the king. The drawings become chaotic, in one it seems like the king takes the prince’s sword, but in the other the prince stands above his father with the sword. In one, the king stabs the queen, but in the other the prince stands, covered in blood, above the bodies of the king and queen.

In the next scenes, stick figures lie covered in red paint, and there are horrible words scrawled over the pictures. ‘Die, all die, bleed into the ground, take it all, mine, all mine.’

But then on the next stretch of wall, the words change. ‘My fault, cursed child, born to ruin, my fault, sorry, sorry, I’m sorry…’

Yuma drops her flashlight and presses both of her hands to the wall. She closes her eyes. “Tell me,” she begs, “What happened?”

Yuma feels herself being jerked forward. She braces herself to fall, but nothing happens. She opens her eyes and finds herself in a dark room, with Vector standing in front of her in his human form.

Yuma jumps, but she then realizes that this Vector isn’t the one she knows—this one wears loose fitting pants and has rings of metal strung across his chest, and he wears a purple circlet around his head. This must be Vector in his past.

 _“I will not allow any more of our men to die,”_  Vector says.

Yuma turns and stumbles back. A man looms over her and the past-Vector. _“Fool,”_  the king hisses.  _“One more fight and we could have won. You are like a woman, you are weak and you have no ambition. You’re as worthless as your mother, a disgrace to my name. You were not born of my loins, and now I will do to you what I should have done when you were born!”_

The king lunges forward and grabs Vector’s sword. Vector screams, but suddenly the queen is there, and she throws herself between her husband and her child.

Vector lets out an agonized scream as the sword slices through his mother. He catches her as she falls, her head lolling towards the ground—he screams again, her head is half separated from her neck.

 _“Mother, mother!”_  he screams, pressing his hands to her neck, but it’s too late. Blood bubbles out of her mouth, and her eyes are dead.  _“What have you done?!”_  Vector screams at the king.

 _“You did this,”_  the king gasps, falling to his knees. He clutches his chest and keels over to one side.

 _“You did this,”_  a voice echoes around the room, repeating the king’s words.  _“You horrible child, you killed your own parents.”_

 _“No!”_  Vector screams, covering his ears with his bloody hands.  _“It wasn’t me!”_

 _“No?”_  The voice asks.  _“Was it not your sword that killed her? Is her blood not on your hands?”_

A shadow emerges from behind Vector, a silhouette that Yuma recognizes.

“Don’t look!” Yuma screams, but of course Vector can’t hear her. He turns and meets the terrible eye of Don Thousand.

 _“You will feed my ambition,”_  Don Thousand says.  _“The purer the heart, the greater the turmoil in the universe from its’ corruption. You will blame the death of the king and queen on the very kingdoms you tried to broker peace with. You will slaughter all. You will fill the seas with the blood of the innocent, and you will fill Barian world with unfulfilled and wronged souls.”_

 _“The seas will fill with blood,”_  Vector intones.  _“I will kill them all.”_

“No!” Yuma screams.

She opens her eyes and staggers back from the wall.

“Yuma!” Kite and Astral shout.

“Are you okay?!” Kotori asks, catching Yuma as she nearly falls.

“We have to go,” Yuma cries, “We have to get to Vector, it wasn’t his fault, I have to tell him!”

Yuma runs. She runs up the stairs, out of the palace, and across the Barian world towards the duel in the distance.

The purer the heart, the greater the turmoil in the universe. Don Thousand corrupted Vector because it would cause the most chaos, by taking Vector’s heart he killed three other future Barians, and in the end Vector killed himself when he realized what he had done. It didn’t have to happen that way, Vector could have been a good king, he could have lead his people to peace, it really wasn’t his fault.

Yuma can see the duel. She can see Mizael, Rio, and Durbe lying on the ground. She sees Ryoga, and he throws his arm out.

“No!” Yuma screams.

Ryoga attacks. Vector is blown backwards, and his life points drop to zero.

Yuma bursts on to the field just as the dust settles. Vector lies motionless on the ground, and she kneels next to him. “No, no, no,” she gasps, “Wake up, Vector, wake up! I saw the truth, I saw it all, it wasn’t your fault!”

“Yuma…” Ryoga says.

“Wake up!” Yuma pleads with Vector’s unresponsive body. “It was all a trick, even now you’re being manipulated!”

“Yuma, we saw it all!” Ryoga shouts.

Yuma finally looks over at him. He shakes his head. “Vector discarded everything. He said it himself, he regrets nothing, because he’s more powerful now than he ever was before. He absorbed Rio, Mizael and Durbe’s souls. He killed them.”

Yuma backs away from Vector. “No,” she cries. They can’t truly be gone! They’ve just been knocked out, they’ll be fine…

“It’s true,” Vector says. He opens his eyes and sneers at Yuma. “You silly little wretch. You think I’m impressed by your little Kingdom? I’ve got my own kingdom and my own power, and it’s more than you’ll ever have!”

He pushes Yuma away and staggers to his feet. “I am a god here!” He screams. “I’ll tear this universe apart with my bare hands and remake it as I see fit, and then I’ll go across dimensions and time and make everything mine and mine alone!”

“VECTOR, LOOK OUT!” Yuma screams.

For as he’s been talking, his shadow has grown and taken on a new form. As Vector finally turns, Don Thousand emerges in his full, horrible, corporeal form.

“How?” Vector gasps. “I killed you!”

“No,” Don Thousand booms, “I let you think it, while secretly I siphoned your life away. You think you could outsmart me? I made you, everything you are. I have known every inch of your mind since the moment you were born. And now I will absorb you, and finally be at my most powerful!”

A hole opens up in the middle of Don Thousand’s abdomen, a red light shining from it, and a great wind begins to suck everything towards that light.

Kite grabs Kotori and runs behind a large stone pillar. Ryoga grabs Rio and Durbe’s bodies. Vector is pulled like a ragdoll, tumbling across the floor, screaming the whole way.

“No, no!” He shouts. “I can’t die like this! Stop it!”

Yuma runs after Vector. She sinks one hand into a crack in the ground and snatches Vector’s wrist with her other.

“What are you doing?!” Every sane person yells at Yuma. Even Vector looks shocked.

“I won’t let go,” Yuma vows. “I still believe in you, Vector!”

Don Thousand laughs. “Tsukumo Yuma, you are an even bigger fool than I thought.”

“Let go!” Astral screams, “You’ll be sucked in as well!”

But Yuma looks into Vector’s eyes. “There is a place for you in my kingdom, if only you believe that you can change,” she says. “It wasn’t your fault. You were tricked, you were abused. You were kind once, and I saw it when I knew you as Rei, I saw it when I looked into your past. That is who you are. You can start over, I believe in you!”

Vector gapes at her. “You’re an idiot! I’ll drag you to hell with me!”

“That’s okay,” Yuma says. She starts to cry. “It’ll be an adventure, right? And I’ll protect you.”

_“Don’t stand up for me,” the little prince said to his mother. “Papa will only be angry. He’ll hurt you.”_

_“That’s okay,” the queen said. “Even if it’s hell, it’s better than seeing you suffer. I’ll protect you.”_

Something shifts in Vector. Yuma can see it.

“No,” Vector says. “Not again. I can’t let it happen again.” He smiles. “You don’t have to protect me anymore.”

“Don’t!” Yuma cries, but she’s too late. Vector wrenches himself free of her hand, and he’s sucked into that horrendous light.

Yuma falls to her knees.

Don Thousand’s body cracks, more of that red light spilling through them. His skin splits apart, and from the monstrous silhouette emerges a humanoid being, one who looks remarkably like Eliphas. Well, Eliphas did say they were brothers.

“My power has returned to me,” Don Thousand says, staring down at his own hands. “Now all that’s left is to crush you, Ryoga, Kite, and Yuma. I will take the Numbers, Astral will vanish, and I will rule this universe and all others.”

Yuma activates her duel disk. “Fuck yourself with something hard and sandpaper-y,” she tells Don Thousand. She doesn’t think she’s ever been this angry before, not even in Sargasso. That feels petty, compared to this. Her blood feels like it’s boiling, her vision is literally turning red, and all she can think is that she wants to eviscerate this thing standing in front of her, she wants to cut him open and rip out the souls he’s absorbed with her bare hands. Never mind the duel, she might just grab her pocket knife and do that very thing…

_Yuma finds herself standing on a crumbling ledge, facing a huge door that’s covered in chains._

_“OH, NOT AGAIN!” Yuma screams._

_“You have a chance,” a deep voice says. “A chance to unlock great power,”_

_“I know that!” Yuma shouts at the door, “I’ve been here before, I already accepted the deal!”_

_“But that power comes with a price,” The voice continues, as if Yuma hadn’t spoken. “You will have to give up that which is precious to you.”_

_And at that, Yuma pauses. She’s figured this out before, that it meant giving up Astral. But how could that still be the case, when Astral has already been lost and come back to her? How will killing Don Thousand mean losing Astral?_

_Then it hits her—she’s thinking about murder. She’s actually considering killing someone, how could she possibly be okay with that, even if that person is Don Thousand?_

_The deal she made with the door was never about Astral at all, because at the time she didn’t even know Astral. The thing she loved and stood to lose, through everything, was herself. If she takes this power and kills someone with it, what will that do to her? How will she live with herself after that?_

_There’s another way, there has to be another way…_

_There is. Yuma can duel, she can fight against Don Thousand, as long as she remembers that this is not about avenging the past, but protecting the future. She can’t save Don Thousand’s soul, but that’s okay, because it’s not her job to give salvation to those who don’t want it. And that’s the biggest thing she needs to remember—people who don’t want to change never will, and Don Thousand doesn’t want to change._

_Yuma stares down the door. “Well, I’ve got news for you. I’m taking this power, and I’m keeping myself in the process. I’m not going to lose sight of who I am and what I stand for. I want to help people, and I’m going to start by helping myself.”_

_Yuma shoves her key into the lock on the door. A light explodes before her eyes…_

Yuma stands in front of Don Thousand. Ryoga and Kite have already taken their turns, and they’re waiting for her.

Yuma raises her hand and looks at Astral. “I build the overlay network with myself and Astral!” She cries.

Astral smiles, and together they fly. Blue and red light collide, and Yuma feels her body rebuild into something beautiful.

They land lightly—holy cow, they have wings! Great big fluffy wings! And this time is much different from the last three times Yuma and Astral came together like this. For one thing, they don’t have a gender this time. They feel more stable, and confident. They feel…not powerful, but strong. And being strong is not the same thing as being powerful.

They draw their card. This is going to be the duel of a lifetime, and it’s time to get started.


	55. Numeron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Chaos will always exist,” Yuma agrees, her voice deep and echoing, “But that is nothing new. There can be no peace without chaos, and it is nothing that myself and my kingdom cannot handle."

Yuma and Astral separate, and Yuma falls to her knees. In the end, she owes everything to a quick play card, Double up Chance. It feels fitting.

The worlds are safe. Don Thousand lies flat on his back on the ground, bruised and defeated.

The former god begins to laugh. “You may think you’ve won, but my true curse is just beginning,” he growls. “In the end, the universe cannot exist without Chaos. In the end, I will be reborn. Maybe not in this century, or this galaxy, but I will be reborn.”

A dark ball of energy rises from Don Thousand’s body, and then the body fades but the ball of energy continues to grow. It spits red lightening, it pulsates, and then it charges at Ryoga.

But Yuma pushes him out of the way, and the energy collides with her.

A great roar fills Yuma’s ears as the energy erupts under her skin, and it’s pain like she’s never felt before. Eons of war and hate and revenge bubble up in her soul. Her whole body, every cell, vibrates and threatens to fly apart, but Yuma holds herself together with the lone thought that she will not be undone by this.

“Chaos will always exist,” Yuma agrees, her voice deep and echoing, “But that is nothing new. There can be no peace without chaos, and it is nothing that myself and my kingdom cannot handle.”

Yuma remembers her dad coming home and hugging her. Her mom waking up early to make lunch for everyone. Her sister teaching her to tie her shoes. Her grandma always making sure she got a kiss before she left. She remembers Rio’s eyes lighting up when she walked through the door of their classroom every day. She remembers Ryoga dancing with her at night. She remembers Kotori offering her a hand, Tetsuo helping her up after a fall, Takashi’s smile as he handed her an extra pencil, Cathy’s jokes, Tokunosuke’s exuberance, and a hundred other things that they and a hundred other people have done to show that they loved and cared for her.

Yuma has Chaos. The whole universe has Chaos. But she and the universe also have love.

The thrum of power fades. The darkness fades. The pain fades. The Chaos will always be there, but it won’t take over her every thought. She will live with it, the way she learned to live with grief and anger after her parents went missing. She will live with it, but it will not rule her.

Yuma opens her eyes. Ryoga, Astral, Kite, and Kotori stare at her in awe.

“You did it,” Kite says. “You beat Don Thousand.”

“Did I vore him?” Yuma asks. She’s got her normal voice back.

Kite, Ryoga, and Kotori almost fall over laughing. Astral looks confused.

“What’s vore?”

“Oh, you don’t want to know,” Kotori says.

Ryoga takes Yuma’s hands. “I guess there’s just one thing left to do, then.”

He pulls several cards from his deck, and gets down on one knee. “Yuma, I surrender these Numbers to you.”

Kite does the same thing, taking cards from his deck and getting down on one knee. “Yuma, I surrender these Numbers to you.”

Yuma smiles, and takes the cards. She’s done it—she’s collected all 100 Numbers. Before she can even joke about it feeling like a proposal, everything explodes in a flash of white light and she vanishes.

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes. Everything is white. It’s so…all-encompassing. She can’t even tell if she’s in a small space or a huge one. She puts her arms out to the sides and touches nothing. Okay, kind of a big space.

“Welcome,” a voice booms.

Yuma turns (or does she? It’s hard to tell what her own body is doing,) and a dragon stares into her eyes. “TEN FUCKING DAYS!” She shrieks, stumbling back.

The dragon chuckles. “Days mean nothing here, nor will they ever run out for you.”

“Wait, you’re the OG Dragon!” Yuma shouts.

The  Numeron dragon seems to grin. “I actually now what that means, and I suppose it’s accurate.”

“Am I dead?” Yuma asks.

“No,” The dragon says. “You’re in the Numeron Code.”

“But I thought that was a card,” Yuma says. “How can I be in a card?”

“You aren’t,” says the Dragon. “You are in a place where time and space mean nothing, and everything, because you hold the key to both, the key to the entire universe. You can do anything with it. You can have anything you like. I am here to assist you, though I cannot tell you what to do. I may be the writer of this code, but you are the owner, and that makes you the boss. So, what is your first wish?”

Well, that’s easy enough. “I wish Astral was here with me.”

For a moment it feels like nothing happened. Then…

“Yuma?”

She sighs in relief. “Oh thank god, I couldn’t possibly do this without you.”

Astral looks around in confusion. “Where are we?”

Yuma takes his hand. “At the beginning of our kingdom, of course.”

 

* * *

 

First, Yuma finds Roku, Thomas, Tetsuo, Michael and Chris’ souls and makes sure that they’ll be revived on Earth. Then she and Astral start building their Kingdom.

They start with the basics. What will the kingdom look like?

Turns out, that’s not so basic. Yuma wants everyone to feel at home, but to also try new things. Some places in her kingdom look like Earth—every single place on earth. There are cities, valleys, great caverns and oceans. There are places that look like Astral world and Barian world. There are places that look like they came out of a child’s drawing, full of fluffy clouds and rainbows, glitter and fairy lights. There are places that are like cocoons, dark and cozy, where people can hide away. There are places marked ‘under construction,’ that can be finished in the future to accommodate the needs of any citizen.

“Can we have computers in my Kingdom?” Yuma asks. “I want them to connect to each other, some kind of internet throughout the kingdom, but I also want them to be able to connect to computers all over the universe. I mean, like, people on the computer in my Kingdom can view YouTube videos from earth, but they can’t comment on them and no one on Earth will know that someone from another dimension is watching.”

“Very eloquent,” Astral teases.

“Of course it can be done,” The dragon says. “But there are several loopholes you need to close.”

They’ve barely scratched the surface of Yuma’s plans. There’s more to build, more to plan, more to imagine.

And of course, there has to be a Labyrinth.

 

* * *

 

Despite holding the key to to the universe, there’s a lot about it that Yuma can’t change. Well, technically she could, but it would mean changing almost everything. People will always have free will, Yuma can merely see all the outcomes of each choice they make. She can help them along by setting them up to take certain paths, but she can’t control every minute detail. Basically, Yuma can’t dictate everything.

So the dinosaurs still go extinct, along with the wooly mammoth, the dodo bird, Neanderthals, and saber-toothed tigers. The volcano erupts on Pompeii, Caesar is stabbed to death, and the world wars happen.

Don Thousand still messes with the people who will become the Barian emperors, but rather than go to Barian world, the souls of the people who died in Vector’s war are offered a place in Yuma’s kingdom. She never leaves the white space, but she somehow talks to each soul. She explains everything to them and offers them a place in her Kingdom. They all accept the offer. They last person Yuma meets with it meets Vector’s mother, and she puts her in charge of all the souls that are coming over from Barian world. As a former queen, she knows a thing or two about overseeing a Kingdom, and Yuma will need someone to run it while she continues her education.

“What about Vector’s father?” Astral asks.

Yuma shakes her head. “He’s not invited.”

“A wise choice,” the dragon says. “His soul can stay where it is.”

Yuma doesn’t want to know where that is. There are some things she won’t dare to touch. “Speaking of that bastard, how was I able to see what really happened in Vector’s past? Back in the castle, I mean.”

“Hundreds of years of emotional turmoil leaves a mark,” The dragon says. “Even if Vector couldn’t remember it, his true memories were within him the whole time. You saw that in the pictures and writings he left on those walls. When Don Thousand’s hold on him slipped, he retreated and tried to make sense of the conflicting stories in his head. Between his power and his grief…those walls were waiting for someone to come along and hear his story.” The dragon seems to smile. “And I suspect you were able to see it as well, because you had the makings of a Numeron holder.”

That could be, or maybe it was just because of all the dimensional energy that had been gathering in Yuma’s body over the past year. Just as Rio was able to sense the energy in Vector’s old palace, she was able to sense the energy in his current one.

 

* * *

 

She needs to deal with Astral world. Barian world should never have existed, and while it was easy enough to convince the former citizens to integrate into Yuma’s Kingdom, Astral world has existed for…well, a very long time. She would love to allow it to continue as it always has, but without Chaos the citizens will find themselves on shaky ground sooner or later. It wasn’t enough for Yuma to hold some hands and heal some people, the whole world is unstable.

“Can we just bring back Chaos?” Yuma asks Astral.

He shakes his head. “Chaos was expelled, we can’t just throw it all back in at once, and I’m not sure we have time to slowly let it back in.”

So Yuma talks to the citizens of Astral world. Most of them understand that they can’t stay in their world, but some are stubborn. Astral does what he can convince the holdouts, and Yuma arranges for meetings between the citizens of Barian world and Astral world.

It’s…enlightening, to say the least. By the time all is said and done, only a handful of souls remain on Astral world, and it’s not because they hate the idea of living with Barians, it’s because they’re too scared to leave.

Yuma understands, and Astral world won’t collapse in mere days. She leaves Eliphas on Astral world to monitor those people and try to talk to them. If, in the end, they chose to fall with their world, that’s something Yuma can’t blame herself for. She, Astral, and Eliphas will continue to try. Ena works with Vector’s mother to oversee integration between Astral and Barian world citizens in their new home.

 

* * *

 

Yuma and Astral take time out from re-planning the universe to cuddle. They lay on their sides, facing each other, kissing every now and then. They haven’t had time to just be together like this since Yuma got Astral back from the brink of death.

“How long have we been here?” She asks. It’s a joke, she knows time has no meaning here.

“23 minutes,” Astral says seriously.

“Wait, really?”

“No, that was a joke,” Astral says, grinning.

“Oh, you got me,” Yuma says. She sits up and stretches. “Man, this place is great. I’m not tired or sore, and watch this—I wish I had a chocolate ice cream.” A cone appears in her hand. “Dude, this is the best!”

Astral leans over and steals a lick of the ice cream. His eyes widen. “We should have ice cream in your Kingdom!”

And just like that, Yuma’s kingdom needs cows and dairy pasteurizing centers. Nothing she can’t handle, of course.

 

* * *

 

Yuma finally sees how Ryoga and Rio went from being Barians to humans. Apparently, Vector got pissed off at emperor Nasch enough to attack Merag, use her to lure Nasch to the edge of Barian world, and then proceeded to throw Merag into some kind of swirling vortex of death. An ancient god that the pair had worshipped in their former life saved their souls from condemnation and offered to reincarnate them into a place where they would be safe from Vector until such time that they could overtake him. Thus, their souls were reborn into the twins that Mr. and Mrs. Kamishiro conceived.

“Deus ex machina, much?” Yuma mutters as the scene flickers and fades from the white-room.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Astral asks.

“I’ll explain later,” Yuma says rubbing her forehead. “Alright, time to find the parents.”

So Yuma locates the souls of Rio and Ryoga’s parents, and tells them everything. They of course had no idea that their children were reincarnations of Barians, and they actually find the whole thing rather interesting. And they’re very anxious to hear about their own children. They’ve been dead for too long for Yuma to bring them back to earth, but they eagerly agree to come to her Kingdom and wait for their children there.

Next, Yuma needs to decide how she’s going to give a second chance to the Barian emperors. As the ones who were most messed with by Don Thousand, they are owed another chance. Plus, they’ve already been to earth and interacted with it in this century. So while she can’t bring back the citizens of the former kingdoms, who have been dead and are unused to modern life, she can do it for Gilag, Alit, Mizael, Durbe, and Vector. She needs to give them history, and a current life.

For Gilag, she creates a life of service. He’s an orphan who attended military school and graduated with honors. He’s 25 and has history working as a bodyguard and bouncer. He also oversees the current charges of the Kamishiro foundation—Durbe, Vector, Mizael, and Alit.

The Kamishiro foundation is something that Yuma made up with Mr. and Mrs. Kamishiro when she spoke to them. It was something they actually wanted to do when the kids got older, and involved taking in orphans and providing them a place to live and a chance to attend Heartland Academy. Gilag, Rio, Ryoga, and the four charges of the foundation all live together in the Kamishiro mansion. Rio and Ryoga will become the heads of the foundation once they graduate from college, and there are finance directors taking care of the trust to ensure that many more children will be able to take advantage of the program.

She makes sure that the Barian emperors retain their memories of their past lives, their lives on Barian world, and all of the encounters they had with Yuma, both good and bad. She hesitates on Vector’s memories. She knows he’ll probably resent her for making him remember the many people Don Thousand made him kill. She knows that it’s cruel to make him remember something that wasn’t his fault. But at the same time, it’s important that he does remember, because one day Yuma’s power may go to her head, and she need Vector to be there to remind her of what happens when powerful people try to manipulate the world too much.

 

* * *

 

One thing her Kingdom will never have is a throne. Not for her, not for Astral, not for Ryoga or Rio or Kotori (though she knows if anyone deserves a throne, it’s Kotori). No one will ever have a spot above others in her Kingdom. Everyone will always be on the same level.

 

* * *

 

Yuma finds her parents on Astral world. She has so much she wants to tell them, but now is not the time. Instead, she plans for their return to earth.

 

* * *

 

Yuma and Astral have to decide Astral’s fate.

“I want to go back to Earth,” Astral says.

“I kind of figured,” Yuma says. “But how will we do that?”

It takes a lot of planning, and they go through several different solutions until they find one that works. Yuma creates a history for Astral Anderson, an exchange student from Norway living with the Tsukumo family in Japan. To all those who know who Astral really is, they’ll see him as he always has looked. To everyone else, he’s an ordinary human boy with white-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and freckles that dot his skin like stars. No one will actually know, but his freckles are arranged to form constellations from across the universe.

“That’s so extra,” Astral tells her.

“Be quiet, I’m making you positively ethereal,” Yuma scolds.

He won’t be able to float or fly anymore, he’ll have to walk like a normal person, but he says he can get used to that.

 

* * *

 

Only Yuma’s friends and family will remember that the Earth was nearly absorbed by Barian world. Everyone else will wake up on an ordinary day and go on with their lives blissfully unaware that they just survived the apocalypse.

 

* * *

 

Yuma keeps her Key and her tattoo.

 

* * *

 

“I think we’re done,” Yuma tells the Dragon.

It nods. “I agree. It is time for you to return to Earth.”

 

* * *

 

Yuma opens her eyes. She’s standing in her room, looking out the window. It’s a beautiful morning, the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the birds are chirping. Something hums under her skin, some kind of immense power that feels at once strange and familiar.

Footsteps hammer down the hall and Akari throws open the door to her room. “Yuma, what the fuck happened to the end of the world?” She gasps.

Yuma smiles and doesn’t look away from the window—she’s watching a blue jay build a nest. “Never mind that, you’re about to get a very important phone call.”

“What? From who?” Akari asks. Her phone rings, and she answers.

Yuma can’t hear what’s being said, but she knows anyway, because she planned it.

“Ms. Akari Tsukumo? My name is Luis Perez, I’m a doctor at the Central Hospital of Argentina. I have some incredible news—your parents have been checked into our hospital.”

The Arclight siblings will be getting the same call. Perhaps she should have warned them about that, that after being lost in the jungle for years, the exploration team of Kazuma Tsukumo, Mirai Tsukumo, and Byron Arclight has been found.

It made sense to throw Byron Arclight into it, after all the public still didn’t know that the child named Tron was the man who had disappeared so many years ago. Now, back in his proper body and found alive, Byron Arclight can start to rebuild his life with his children, just as the Tsukumo family can rebuild their life with their children.

Akari stammers. She runs down the hall. She screams, “GRANDMA HOLY SHIT GUESS WHAT?!”

Yuma opens her window and leans out. The blue jay pauses in building his nest and stares at her for a moment before resuming. Yuma inhales deeply. Things are going to change now, but in a lot of ways…they’re going to remain the same.


	56. Epilogue - Halfway to Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuma has kind of become a god. It was a complete accident, of course.

Yuma has kind of become a god. It was a complete accident, of course—she had no idea the kind of mark the Numeron code would leave on her, even though she’s now thrown it light years away from earth and stuck it between two black holes where hopefully it will stay for the rest of eternity. Still, Yuma spent a lot of time with that code, building her Kingdom and rebuilding whole dimensions, and that kind of exposure to cosmic power changes a person.

Tetsuo elbows Yuma in the ribs. “You’re doing it again,” she hisses.

Yuma quickly gathers her thoughts and focuses on her algebra notes. The other students in the classroom stop leaning away from her. Tetsuo makes a face at her and Yuma makes one right back. God, she’s so happy he’s not dead anymore.

Yuma has to be careful with her thoughts now. If she’s not careful and starts thinking too broadly, the power that flows under her skin starts seeping out. The people around her don’t recognize what it is, but the feel it subconsciously and they start moving away from it—away from her. It’s normal, that kind of power makes humans uncomfortable, and Yuma does her best to keep it under control, especially after one day when she was daydreaming and suddenly found herself alone in the classroom in the middle of a test. She has to admit, it was kind of funny watching everyone come back into the classroom and being all confused about why they had left in the first place.

There are other marks that the power left on her. She lives her life like she always has, eating and sleeping as normal, but on mornings where she runs late and skips breakfast, she finds that she’s not starving by the time she gets to class, nor has difficulty focusing. On nights where she doesn’t sleep well for one reason or another, she’s not tired during the day. She suspects that she no longer needs to eat and sleep much, if at all, but she’s not too keen on testing that theory.

And she doesn’t have much opportunity to test that theory either, not with her mom and dad fussing over her at every turn. And it’s so amazing to have her mom and dad back. They worry about her and what she’s been through, but they are overwhelmingly proud of her, and Akari. They were shocked when Yuma showed them the bank accounts she made after her various lawsuits, but her father burst out laughing and ruffled her hair.

“That’s my girl,” he said proudly, “I expected nothing less.”

And they love having Astral in the house. When they’re not telling him about their past adventures and helping him navigate life on earth, they’re asking him questions about Astral world. He and grandma do crossword puzzles and she’s teaching him to cook and telling him about what life was like when she was a child. Akari bounces article ideas off of him and he asks her about the things he reads in the news.

And Yuma is beyond happy to have him with her. She and Astral aren’t in all the same classes, in some he’s a grade ahead of her, in some he’s a grade behind. They eat lunch on the roof with their friends, their group considerably larger with Vector, Durbe, and Alit having joined them—Mizael is in his first year of high school—and the afternoons are always boisterous. She and Astral walk to school together every day, they walk home together after, they do their homework together and eat dinner with Yuma’s family. There are two beds in Yuma’s room and two hammocks in the attic, but it’s mostly for show, most nights they sleep in the same bed, and for now the hammock can support their combined weight. They talk every night before they fall asleep, sometimes about school or manga, sometimes about their Kingdom and their future.

Ryoga sometimes calls Yuma during these talks to complain about his new roommates. Alit, Gilag, and Ponta (the duel monster spirit having returned to Gilag’s side) are getting too into the wrestling match, don’t they know it’s fake? Mizael is being a nerd over his pet bearded dragon again, Durbe is lurking, and Vector is singing ‘Dance Magic’ horribly off-key.

“And what’s Rio doing?” She’ll ask.

“Being completely useless and flirting with Kotori again,” he’ll answer.

While Yuma has been out saving the world, her best friends have fallen in love with each other. She’s thrilled for them, and she can’t help teasing Ryoga about it a little.

She and Ryoga go on dates on the weekends. They go to the movies and amusement parks, but they also go to museums and public lectures from scientists and historians. They take note of the past and talk about how to apply what they learn to their Kingdom. Sometimes Astral joins them, and sometimes Yuma looks between these two boys who love her so much, and without whom she would be so lost, and she can’t believe how lucky she is.

Then there’s Kite and Hart. Yuma sees them at least every few days to hear about how school is going. Hart just started grade school and Kite is in college. Hart tells all his friends that Yuma Tsukumo, winner of the WDC, is his godmother.

 

* * *

 

It’s not all happy all the time. They all have demons to deal with.

Some nights Yuma gets calls from Ryoga, because Vector’s night terrors are horrible and he won’t let anyone else near him. Yuma goes to him and lets him call her terrible names. She’ll hold him and wipe his tears, and she’ll remind him that it wasn’t his fault, none of it.

Yuma picked her words on purpose, when she tried to save Vector from Don Thousand—she picked them because she knew his mother would have said something similar to him. She knows she’s become a reminder of his mother. Maybe some would think it’s weird, but Yuma is glad. Vector lost so much because of Don Thousand, and sometimes she regrets making him keep those memories, but she knows she would hate herself more if he was mindlessly happy. She tells him that, and he understands. It doesn’t make it easier when he’s cowering on his bed, screaming that he’s sorry.

Sometimes Alit will suddenly stop breathing and clutch his neck, his eyes wide and his lips turning purple. There’s no medical reason for it, he’s been checked for asthma and all sorts of other problems; it’s the scar on his memory from being beheaded. If Gilag is there he’ll look into Alit’s face and remind him that’s over. If Ryoga is there he’ll take Alit’s hands away from his neck and hold them. Everyone has their own way of helping Alit through those episodes.

Sometimes Yuma’s parents will do or say something in a way that pisses her off so much she storms out of the house. Sometimes she hates it when they try to parent her. Sometimes she’s just so angry at them, because they left and came back and think that things can just go back to normal. They don’t, of course, and Yuma knows that they love her so much and they just want her to be safe. But sometimes, sometimes Yuma just wants them to leave her alone.

Sometimes Astral misses his home, and when that happens he’ll go for a walk by himself, and when he comes home he shows Yuma pictures he took on his phone. Half the pictures are usually of mundane things, like a cigarette on the sidewalk or a too-close picture of a leaf. Yuma loves looking at them, because she loves knowing what catches Astral’s eye.

Sometimes Kotori comes over, and she’s quiet and pale. Yuma will take her by the hand and lead her to the TV, and she’ll put on Labyrinth. Sometimes Kotori will cry, quiet tears that slip down her cheeks. Sometimes she just sits and stares. But by the time the movie is over, she’ll be smiling once more. The past few months have been a lot for her, and Yuma will always be grateful to Kotori for having been by her side through it all.

 

* * *

 

Middle school graduation is approaching. Most of Yuma’s classmates are getting high school acceptance letters, but she hasn’t gotten any—she’s not going to a physical school, instead she’ll be joining a homeschool program. She’ll be able to study at her own pace, and maybe finish high school early and take a qualification exam.

Yuma has a Kingdom to run someday, and she’s not quite sure how she’s going to do that. She wants to finish high school early, and spend some time traveling the world with Astral. She wants to go to South America and see the Mayan ruins, she wants to go to Egypt and see the tombs, she wants to go to dig sites in Africa and help her parent’s colleagues find million-year old hominid bones. She wants to go to China and walk the length of the great wall—all of it. When she’s seen all she can of her own world, she wants to go to college and study political science and history. She wants to learn from the past so she can plan for the future. She certainly has enough money for all of it.

And when she’s done with school, she’ll leave Earth. She figures it’ll be about ten years. She hasn’t told that to anyone besides Astral and Ryoga. She can’t wait until she’s ready to rule her Kingdom, because she’ll never be “ready.” She’s got people who are waiting for her, and she’s going to give herself some time to prepare, but she can’t ask her Kingdom to wait forever. She’ll come back to Earth for visits, and when her friends and family have lived their natural lives, they’ll come to her Kingdom, but once she takes over her Kingdom, it’s going to be a full time job, and she won’t be able to come to Earth every weekend. She’ll miss her friends and family, but she’s looking forward to everything the future has to offer.

Chaos and hope live within her, and love surrounds her. Yuma knows that whatever happens next, she can handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original final authors note:
> 
> If you had told me two years ago that in the 2,018th year of our lord and savior the Numeron Dragon, I would rewrite the entire Zexal series, incorporating some of my most beloved headcanons, and I would actually finish it, I would have laughed. I cannot believe I have done this. I cannot believe people actually read it. I thank everyone who read and left kudos, and I would like to thank Aurasoulyami, Dove, Bilbosama, Wonder_wings, Tetsu, rt1369, Animus, rottenshippa18, Flautistcoming2read, janny77739, Reishiin, Aira_Aura, Kiri_Kaitou_Clover, When_Arrows_Collide for commenting.
> 
> I’m so glad I watched Zexal and it’s one of my favorite spinoffs, and let me be clear, I love Yuma just the way he is. He’s a little gullible, a little slow to catch on to things, but he’s overall a happy-go-lucky kid and all that makes sense. The biggest thing I did for my Yuma (besides change her gender), is change the way she reacted to her parent’s disappearing. Since I made her friends with Rio, and Rio’s accident was around that same time, that incident really made my Yuma break down. My Yuma doesn’t have Canon Yuma’s blind faith and optimism, she’s jaded and suspicious. I would like to think that over the course of the series, I’ve shown her regaining some of that faith.
> 
> There is more I could do with this series, and maybe someday I will, but I have been devoting almost all my writing time to this since August of 2017, it’s been nine months!! I’ve given birth to this series and there’s so many other things I would like to write now. Trust me if I do more for this, I’ll share it with you all. In the meantime, thanks so much for reading!
> 
> And now, a new note.
> 
> It's been over a year since I started posting this and just under a year since I finished it, and it remains my favorite series that I have ever done. Yes I like it better than Children of War, if only for the sheer amount that I wrote for it. If this is your first time reading through the series, I hope you enjoyed it. If you've read it before and this is simply a more convenient way for you to enjoy the story, SAME!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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